121 may transmit an offer command of the process for the affiliation authentication to the user terminal 110. The processor 121 may temporarily or permanently store, in the memory 122, data required to receive the display command of the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication and/or perform the offer command of the process for the affiliation authentication.

The memory 122 may store information related to map data including a map image, the display command of the graphic representation, and/or the offer command of the process for the affiliation authentication. The memory 122 may store instructions for transmitting the map data including the map image, transmitting the display command of the graphic representation, and/or transmitting the offer command of the process for the affiliation authentication.

The communicator 123 may transmit at least one of the display command of the graphic representation or the offer command of the process for the affiliation authentication. The communicator 123 may establish a wired communication channel and/or a wireless communication channel with an external device (e.g., an electronic device and another server), and may establish communication, for example, via cellular communication, short-range wireless communication, LAN communication, Bluetooth™, Wi-Fi direct, or IrDA, or via a long-range communication network such as a legacy cellular network, a 4G and/or 5G network, next-generation communication, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or a WAN).

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting a map application to an affiliation authentication process, according to an embodiment.

An affiliation authentication system according to an embodiment may include a user terminal 210 (e.g., the user terminal 110 of FIG. 1) and a server 220 (e.g., the server 120 of FIG. 1).

In operation 211, the user terminal 210 may collect at least one of search information of the user or location information of the user while executing a map application.

The search information of the user may include at least one of a search term searched with in the map application, a searched place, or a focused target area in the map application. The user terminal 210 may output a graphic representation of a map corresponding to the target area while executing the map application. The user terminal 210 may change the target area based on a user input detected for the graphic representation of the map and may output a graphic representation of the map corresponding to the changed target area. The focused target area may refer to an area in the map to which the graphic representation output on the display of the user terminal 210 corresponds.

The location information of the user may include information on a geographic location of the user terminal 210. For example, the location information of the user may include GPS information of the user terminal 210.

In operation 212, the user terminal 210 may transmit at least one of the search information of the user or the location information of the user to the server 220. The server 220 may receive at least one of the search information of the user or the location information of the user from the user terminal 210.

In operation 213, the server 220 may determine whether to display a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication. For example, the server 220 may determine a reference location of a user based on at least one of the search information of the user or the location information of the user. The server 220 may determine to display the graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication in response to the determined reference location of the user being included in an area corresponding to the affiliation authentication.

According to an embodiment, the reference location may be determined based on the search information of the user. For example, when a search term in the map application includes a keyword related to an affiliation (e.g., a school name, a school building name, a company name, and a company building name), the server 220 may determine a location corresponding to the keyword to be the reference location of the user. For example, the server 220 may determine a location (e.g., a central location of the target area) corresponding to the focused target area to be the reference location. For example, the server 220 may determine a location of a place searched for on the map application to be the reference location.

According to an embodiment, the reference location may be determined based on the location information of the user. For example, the server 220 may determine a location corresponding to the location information of the user (e.g., GPS information) to be the reference location.

The determining of whether to display the graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication by the server 220 is mainly described herein, but embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, the user terminal 210 may determine whether to display the graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication based on the collected search information or the location information of the user.

In operation 214, in response to determining to display the graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication, the server 220 may transmit a display command of the graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication to the user terminal 210. The user terminal 210 may receive the display command of the graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication from the server 220. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, a command (e.g., the display command and an offer command) transmitted and received between the server 220 and the user terminal 210 may include a signal for one of the server 220 and the user terminal 210 to trigger an operation of the other. For example, a display command transmitted from the server 220 to the user terminal 210 may include information for the user terminal 210 to display an object (e.g., the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication) specified by the display command and/or a signal to cause the user terminal 210 to display the specified object.

In operation 215, the user terminal 210 may display the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication.

In operation 216, the user terminal 210 may detect a user input for the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication.

In operation 217, the user terminal 210 may transmit information on a detection of the user input for the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication to the server 220. The server 220 may receive the information on a detection of the user input for the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication from the user terminal 210.

In operation 218, in response to the user input for the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication, the server 220 may transmit the offer command of a process for the affiliation authentication to the user terminal 210. The user terminal 210 may receive the offer command of the process for the affiliation authentication from the server 220. The offer command of the process transmitted from the server 220 to the user terminal 210 may include the information for the user terminal 210 to offer a process (e.g., the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication) specified by the display command and/or a signal to cause the user terminal 210 to offer the specified process to the user.

In operation 219, the user terminal 210 may provide the process for the affiliation authentication. For example, the user terminal 210 may provide the process for the affiliation authentication by connecting the map application to another application (e.g., an instant messaging application) that provides an affiliation authentication service. However, the present disclosure is not limited to providing the process for the affiliation authentication through another application, and the process for the affiliation authentication may also be provided through a map application.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a method of providing a process for affiliation authentication, the method being performed by a server, according to an embodiment.

A method of providing a process for affiliation authentication, performed by a server (e.g., the server 120 of FIG. 1 and the server 220 of FIG. 2), according to an embodiment, may include operation 310 of transmitting a display command of a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication and operation 320 of transmitting an offer command of a process for affiliation authentication.

In operation 310, the server may transmit a display command of a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication from a user to a user terminal, based on at least one of search information of the user or location information of the user collected from the user terminal, which executes a map application. According to an embodiment, the server may use the search information of the user and/or the location information of the user that have been collected from the user terminal or the search information and/or location information of the user collected in real time.

Affiliation authentication may refer to authentication of an affiliation of a user corresponding to a user account, and may include, for example, at least one of school authentication or company authentication. The school authentication may include at least one of student authentication to authenticate the user corresponding to the user account as an enrolled student of the school, completion authentication to authenticate the user as a person who has completed a course at the school, graduate authentication to authenticate the user as a graduate of the school, or faculty authentication to authenticate the user as a faculty member of the school. In a case of a university, a student may include a university student and a graduate school student. The school authentication is not limited to at least one of the student authentication, completion authentication, graduate authentication, or faculty authentication stated above, and may include authentication (e.g., researcher authentication and an instructor authentication) for a user who belongs to an organization (e.g., an industry-academia cooperation group and a business group) related to the school. The company authentication may include employee authentication to authenticate the user corresponding to the user account as an employee of the company.

According to an embodiment, the server may transmit the display command of the graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication to the user terminal, based on search information including at least one of a search term searched with in the map application, a searched place, or a focused target area in the map application.

For example, the server may transmit the display command of the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication to the user terminal based on a keyword included in a search term entered in the map application. For example, when the search term includes a keyword corresponding to a school, the server may transmit a display command of a graphic representation requesting school authentication to the user terminal. A keyword corresponding to a school may include at least one of a school name, a name of a school event (e.g., a festival, a sports day, and a fair), a name of a school landmark (e.g., a building, a square, and a facility), or a keyword (e.g., a midterm exam, a final exam, an exam period, an opening party, an end-of-semester party, a club dinner, a freshman learning place (or a freshman place), and an orientation (OT)) related to school life. For example, when the search term includes a keyword corresponding to a company, the server may transmit a display command of a graphic representation requesting employee authentication of the company to the user terminal. A keyword corresponding to a company may include at least one of a company name, a post name, a position name, a job name, a department name, a name of a company landmark (e.g., a building, a square, and a facility), or a keyword (e.g., a company dinner, overtime, a commute to work, leaving work, and a payday) related to company life. A keyword of the present disclosure is not limited to the keywords corresponding to a school and/or the keywords corresponding to a company described above, and may include keywords related to affiliation authentication.

For example, the server may transmit the display command of the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication to the user terminal based on at least one of a searched place or a focused target area. For example, in response to a searched place corresponding to a place related to affiliation authentication, the server may transmit the display command of the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication to the user terminal. For example, in response to a number of places related to affiliation authentication included in a focused target area exceeding a threshold number, the server may transmit the display command of the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication to the user terminal. A place related to affiliation authentication may include a place for which a number of searches by an affiliation-authenticated user account exceeds a threshold number, a place that offers a benefit to the affiliation-authenticated user account, or a place located in an area corresponding to the affiliation authentication. The area corresponding to the affiliation authentication may include an area in which a user, who searches or is located in a corresponding area and/or a place included in the corresponding area, is expected to perform affiliation authentication related to the corresponding area. For example, the area corresponding to the affiliation authentication may include at least one of a geographical area of the affiliation, a surrounding area of the affiliation, or a living area of affiliated users. For example, the area corresponding to the affiliation authentication may include at least one of an inside of a school campus, a university area, an inside of business premises of a company, or a shuttle bus stop of a company.

According to an embodiment, the server may determine a reference location of the user based on at least one of the search information of the user or the location information of the user. For example, the server may determine at least one of a location corresponding to a keyword related to affiliation included in a search term searched with in the map application, a location corresponding to a searched place, a location corresponding to a focused target area, or a location corresponding to the location information of the user, which are in the map application, to be the reference location of the user. In response to the determined reference location of the user being included in the area corresponding to the affiliation authentication, the server may transmit the display command of the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication to the user terminal.

According to an embodiment, the server may provide affiliation authentication of a plurality of authentication types (e.g., school authentication and company authentication). The server may determine an authentication type based on at least one of the search information of the user or the location information of the user. The server may transmit a display command of a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication of the determined authentication type to the user terminal.

For example, the server may transmit a display command of a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication of an authentication type corresponding to a keyword detected from a search term to the user terminal. For example, when the server detects a keyword (e.g., a midterm exam) corresponding to school authentication from the search term, the server may transmit the display command of the graphic representation requesting the school authentication to the user terminal. When detecting a keyword (e.g., a commute to work) corresponding to company authentication from the search term, the server may transmit a display command of a graphic representation requesting company authentication to the user terminal.

For example, the server may transmit a display command of a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication of an authentication type that offers a benefit in the searched place to the user terminal. For example, when the searched place provides a benefit to a school-authenticated user account, the server may transmit the display command of the graphic representation requesting the school authentication to the user terminal. When the searched place provides a benefit to a company-authenticated user account, the server may transmit the display command of the graphic representation requesting the company authentication to the user terminal.

For example, the server may transmit, to the user terminal, a display command of a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication of an authentication type mapped to an area including the reference location of the user. For example, when the reference location of the user is included in an area corresponding to the school authentication, the server may transmit the display command of the graphic representation requesting the school authentication to the user terminal. When the reference location of the user is included in an area corresponding to the company authentication, the server may transmit the display command of the graphic representation requesting the company authentication to the user terminal.

According to an embodiment, the server may determine an affiliation of the user based on at least one of the search information of the user or the location information of the user. The server may transmit a display command of a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication of the determined affiliation to the user terminal. For example, a plurality of affiliations (e.g., the school A, school B, and company C) may respectively correspond to a plurality of areas. When the reference location of the user is included in an area corresponding to the school A, the server may determine an affiliation of the user to be the school A and transmit a display command of a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication for the school A to the user terminal.

According to an embodiment, in response to the user account being affiliation-authenticated, the server may restrict transmission of the display command of the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication to the user terminal. The server may prevent deterioration of user experience due to displaying an unnecessary graphic representation to an already affiliation-authenticated user account by restricting the transmission of the display command of the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication when the user account is already affiliation-authenticated.

For example, when a plurality of authentication types (e.g., school authentication and company authentication) of affiliation authentication is provided, the server may restrict transmission of a display command of a graphic representation for affiliation authentication of an authentication type (e.g., company authentication) that has already been affiliation-authenticated to the user terminal and may transmit a display command of a graphic representation for affiliation authentication of an authentication type (e.g., school authentication) that has not been affiliation-authenticated to the user terminal.

An example of the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication is described below with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

In operation 320, in response to a user input for the graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication, the server may transmit an offer command of a process for affiliation authentication of the user account to the user terminal. For example, the server may command the user terminal to display a screen according to the process for the affiliation authentication of the user account.

Although not explicitly shown in FIG. 3, according to an embodiment, the server may transmit a display command of information on a benefit place that provides a benefit to an authenticated affiliated user account to the user terminal. The display command of the information on the benefit place is described below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a method of providing a process for affiliation authentication, the method being performed by a user terminal, according to an embodiment.

A method of providing a process for affiliation authentication, performed by a user terminal (e.g., the user terminal 110 of FIG. 1 and the user terminal 210 of FIG. 2), according to an embodiment, may include operation 410 of displaying a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication and operation 420 of providing a process for affiliation authentication to a user.

In operation 410, the user terminal may display a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication from the user based on at least one of search information of the user or location information of the user collected while executing a map application. As described above with reference to FIG. 3, the affiliation authentication may refer to affiliation authentication of a user corresponding to a user account and may include, for example, at least one of school authentication or company authentication.

According to an embodiment, the user terminal may display the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication based on search information including at least one of a search term searched with in a map application, a searched place, or a focused target area in the map application.

For example, the user terminal may display the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication based on a keyword included in the search term entered in the map application. For example, when the search term includes a keyword corresponding to a school, the user terminal may display a graphic representation requesting the school authentication. For example, when the search term includes a keyword corresponding to a company, the user terminal may display a graphic representation requesting employee authentication of the company.

For example, the user terminal may display the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication based on at least one of a searched place or a focused target area. For example, in response to a searched place corresponding to a place related to affiliation authentication, the user terminal may display the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication. For example, in response to a number of places related to affiliation authentication included in the focused target area exceeding a threshold number, the user terminal may display the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication.

According to an embodiment, the user terminal may display the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication in response to the reference location of the user, which is determined based on at least one of the search information of the user or the location information of the user, being included in an area corresponding to affiliation authentication. For example, the user terminal (or a server) may determine at least one of a location corresponding to a keyword related to affiliation included in a search term searched with in the map application, a location corresponding to a searched place, a location corresponding to a focused target area, or a location corresponding to the location information of the user, which are in the map application, to be the reference location of the user. The user terminal may display a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication in response to the determined reference location of the user being included in an area corresponding to the affiliation authentication.

According to an embodiment, the user terminal may provide affiliation authentication of a plurality of authentication types (e.g., school authentication and company authentication). The user terminal (or the server) may determine an authentication type based on at least one of the search information of the user or the location information of the user. The user terminal may display a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication of the determined authentication type.

For example, the user terminal may display a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication of an authentication type corresponding to a keyword detected from a search term.

For example, a place searched in a map application may offer a benefit to a user account that has performed affiliation authentication of at least one authentication type among the plurality of authentication types. The user terminal may display a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication of an authentication type for which the searched place provides a benefit, among the plurality of authentication types. For example, when a place that offers a benefit to a school-authenticated user account is searched for, the user terminal may display a graphic representation requesting the school authentication.

For example, an area may be mapped to at least one authentication type among the plurality of authentication types. For example, a campus area of A university may correspond to the school authentication, and a business premises area of company B may correspond to the company authentication. The user terminal may display a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication of an authentication type mapped to an area including the reference location of the user. For example, when the reference location of the user is included in the campus area of the A university, the user terminal may display a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication of the school authentication. For example, when the reference location of the user is included in the business premises area of the company B, the user terminal may display a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication of the company authentication.

According to an embodiment, the user terminal may display a graphic representation requesting affiliation authentication of an affiliation of the user determined based on at least one of the search information of the user or the location information of the user. The user terminal (or the server) may determine the affiliation of the user based on at least one of the search information of the user or the location information of the user. The user terminal may display a graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication of the determined affiliation.

According to an embodiment, the user terminal may restrict display of the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication in response to the user account being affiliation-authenticated. The user terminal may prevent deterioration of user experience due to displaying an unnecessary graphic representation to an already affiliation-authenticated user account by restricting the display of the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication when the user account is already affiliation-authenticated.

For example, when a plurality of authentication types (e.g., school authentication and company authentication) of affiliation authentication is provided, the user terminal may restrict display of a graphic representation for affiliation authentication of an authentication type (e.g., company authentication) that has already been affiliation-authenticated and may display a graphic representation for affiliation authentication of an authentication type (e.g., school authentication) that has not been affiliation-authenticated.

An example of the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication is described below with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

In operation 420, in response to detecting a user input for the graphic representation requesting the affiliation authentication, the user terminal may provide a process for affiliation authentication of the user account to the user. For example, the user terminal may display a screen according to the process for the affiliation authentication of the user account.

Although not explicitly shown in FIG. 4, according to an embodiment, the user terminal may display information on a benefit place that offers a benefit to an authenticated affiliated user account. The display of information on the benefit place is described below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a graphic representation for affiliation authentication, according to an embodiment.

A screen 510 and a screen 520 may be examples of a screen displayed on a display of a user terminal (e.g., the user terminal 110 of FIG. 1 and the user terminal 210 of FIG. 2).

In the screen 510, the user terminal may display a result of a search service provided by a map application. The user terminal may display a graphic representation 511 requesting affiliation authentication based on a search term including a keyword related to affiliation. As shown in FIG. 5, when the search term (e.g., student authentication benefit) includes a keyword related to affiliation (e.g., student authentication), the user terminal may display the graphic representation 511 requesting student authentication.

The user terminal may provide a process for affiliation authentication in the screen 520 based on a user input 512 for the graphic representation 511 being detected. For example, the user terminal may display the screen 520 according to the process for the affiliation authentication based on the user input 512 for the graphic representation 511 being detected.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen for displaying information on a benefit place, according to an embodiment.

According to an embodiment, an affiliation authentication system (e.g., the affiliation authentication system 100 of FIG. 1) may provide a user with information on a benefit place that offers a benefit to an affiliation-authenticated user account.

The user terminal (e.g., the user terminal 110 in FIG. 1 and the user terminal 210 in FIG. 2) may display a graphic representation for search of the benefit place that offers a benefit to the affiliation-authenticated user account based on at least one of search information of the user or location information of the user.

According to an embodiment, a server (e.g., the server 120 of FIG. 1 and the server 220 of FIG. 2) may transmit, to the user terminal, a display command of the graphic representation for the search of the benefit place that offers a benefit to the affiliation-authenticated user account based on at least one of the search information of the user or the location information of the user. In response to receiving the display command of the graphic representation for the search of the benefit place from the server, the user terminal may display the graphic representation for the search of the benefit place.

For example, the graphic representation for the search of the benefit place may be displayed based on the search information of the user. For example, in a screen 610, in response a number of places related to affiliation authentication included in a focused target area exceeding a threshold number, the user terminal may display a graphic representation 611 for the search of the benefit place. As shown in the screen 610, the graphic representation 611 for the search of the benefit place may be displayed in a form of a short cut. For example, in a screen 620, when a search term (e.g., X university yummy restaurant) entered in a map application includes a keyword corresponding to affiliation authentication (e.g., X university), the user terminal may display a graphic representation 621 for the search of the benefit place. As shown in the screen 620, the graphic representation 621 for the search of the benefit place may be displayed in a form of a suggested search term. For example, in a screen 630, in response to a searched place (e.g., Seoul campus of X university) corresponding to a place related to affiliation authentication, the user terminal may display a graphic representation 631 for the search of the benefit place.

For example, the graphic representation for the search of the benefit place may be displayed based on the location information of the user. For example, in response to a location of the user being included in an area corresponding to affiliation authentication, the user terminal may display the graphic representation for the search of the benefit place.

The user terminal may display a list of benefit places in response to detecting a user input for the graphic representation for the search of the benefit place.

According to an embodiment, in response to detecting a user input (e.g., a user input 612, a user input 622, and a user input 632) for the graphic representation (e.g., the graphic representation 611, the graphic representation 621, and the graphic representation 631) for the search of the benefit place, the server may transmit a display command of the list of benefit places to the user terminal. The user terminal may display the list of benefit places in response to receiving the display command of the list of benefit places from the server.

The user terminal may display the list of benefit places in a screen 640 based on the user input (e.g., the user input 612, the user input 622, and the user input 632) for the graphic representation (e.g., the graphic representation 611, the graphic representation 621, and the graphic representation 631) for the search of the benefit place being detected. For example, when the user input (e.g., the user input 612, the user input 622, and the user input 632) for the graphic representation (e.g., the graphic representation 611, the graphic representation 621, and the graphic representation 631) for the search of the benefit place is detected, the user terminal may provide a search result corresponding to a keyword (e.g., student authentication benefit) related to a benefit in the map application. The search result corresponding to the keyword related to a benefit may include a benefit place that offers the benefit by applying a synonym query between the keyword related to the benefit and a name of the benefit place. For example, the name (e.g., A restaurant, B amusement park) of a benefit place may be treated as a word having a same meaning as the keyword (e.g., student authentication benefit) related to the benefit. As a result, the search result corresponding to the keyword related to a benefit may include a benefit place ranked higher (e.g., with a higher score) than other places that do not offer a benefit.

According to an embodiment, the user terminal may determine an affiliation of the user based on the search information of the user or the location information of the user and may display a list of benefit places included in an area corresponding to the determined affiliation and a list of benefit places included in other areas. Here, the user terminal may display information on the benefit places included in the area corresponding to the determined affiliation (e.g., X university) optimally (e.g., with a higher rank) and may display information on the benefit places included in other areas suboptimally (e.g., with a lower rank).

The user terminal displaying the graphic representation and/or the list of benefit places in response to receiving the display command (e.g., the display command of the graphic representation for the search of the benefit place and the display command of the list of benefit places) from the server is mainly described herein, but embodiments are not limited thereto. According to an embodiment, the user terminal may determine whether to display the graphic representation for the search of the benefit place and/or whether to display the list of benefit places based on the search information of the user or the location information of the user.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen for displaying information on a benefit place, according to an embodiment.

According to an embodiment, an affiliation authentication system (e.g., the affiliation authentication system 100 of FIG. 1) may provide a user with information on a benefit place that offers a benefit to an affiliation-authenticated user account.

In response to entering a keyword related to a benefit offered to the affiliation-authenticated user account, a user terminal may display a list of benefit places related to the keyword. The list of benefit places may include a benefit place (or information on the benefit place) that offers a benefit to the affiliation-authenticated user account. The list of benefit places related to the keyword may include a benefit place (or information on the benefit place), which is included in the benefit places and related to the entered keyword.