JP2001243178A - Information providing method/system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to conveniently know part of information provided by a site linked to a button even before clicking the button. SOLUTION: Links to at least one or more destination sites are made from a prescribed button in a home page, and by clicking the button with a pointer operated by a user, information from the desired destination site is received and provided to the user. A home page is displayed in a first window on the user's terminal, triggered by placing the pointer on the button displayed in the first window, information from the prescribed hub site is received and displayed in a second window on the user's terminal, and, triggered by clicking the button with the pointer, information from the destination site is received and displayed in the first window, while renewing displayed contents in the second window on the basis of information received from the hub site.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method and system for providing information, and more particularly, to a method and system for providing information via the Internet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a portal site on the Internet, search of a Web site, a directory (Internet guidance classified by item), product sales,
Various services such as mail, chat, and news are provided. In particular, a directory service that links to the homepage of each site for each theme, making it easy to access the homepage of each site,
It saves the user from having to search for a home page, and is often used.

FIG. 14 is a plan view for explaining a conventional directory service. As shown in the figure, when a user accesses a predetermined portal site 1a that provides a directory service, home pages related to each theme are displayed in an integrated state. For example,
If you want to find out about investment trust management companies, open the page on investment trust management companies and you will see the names of related companies listed (here, "Fidelity", "Nomura"), Since these names are buttons (that is, the URL (Unifor
m Resource Locator) is described, and by clicking the mouse (not shown) after setting the mouse pointer 5, the user can jump to the homepage of the company. That is, by pointing the mouse pointer 5 to the button 3a of "Fidelity Company" and clicking,
Data is received from a site (hereinafter, referred to as a destination site or a D site) 2 that manages the homepage of “Fidelity”, and the homepage of “Fidelity” is displayed in the window 3. Thereafter, desired information can be obtained by, for example, clicking a button in the homepage at the discretion of the user.

On the other hand, in a homepage, not only information of the company is provided, but also advertisements of other companies (hereinafter referred to as banner advertisements) are embedded in the homepage and posted together with the information of the company. There is.

FIG. 15 is a plan view for explaining a banner advertisement. In this example, a case where a banner advertisement 3c is further posted on the homepage of "Fidelity Company" is shown. Since the banner advertisement 3c is not merely a display of the company name or the catch phrase, but a button, the data is transmitted from the advertisement posting site 6 to the user terminal by pointing the mouse pointer 5 and then clicking. And the newly displayed window 4 displays “○ ×
Bank's home page is displayed. As described above, in the conventional system, it is not possible to know information about the home page unless the user clicks a button to actually display the home page.

[0006]

However, if the user clicks the button one by one to display the home page and confirms the contents, there is a problem that the outline of the home page cannot be grasped in a short time. Also, depending on the site, to help you understand the contents of the homepage,
There are also homepages with functions such as FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) and glossary, but it is necessary to search for where in the homepage, and the description format is different for each homepage, so it is easy to use There was a problem that it was not possible.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem. Even before a button is clicked, a part of the information provided by the site of the button can be easily known, and the homepage of the button can be easily obtained. An object of the present invention is to provide an information providing method and a system for easily providing a user with information that assists in understanding the content.

[0008]

In order to achieve such an object, an information providing method according to the present invention provides a link to at least one or more destination sites on a button in a predetermined homepage, When the button is clicked by a pointer operated by the user to receive information from a desired destination site and provide the information to the user, displaying the home page in a first window of the terminal of the user; When the pointer is pointed at a button displayed in the first window, information is received from a predetermined hub site and displayed on the second window of the user terminal, and the button is Triggered by clicking with the pointer, the information received from the destination site And displays the information in the first window is for updating the display contents of the second window on the basis of the information received from the hub site.

The information providing method according to the present invention includes the following configuration as another aspect. That is, the program for displaying the second window is installed in the terminal of the user in advance.
The program for displaying the second window includes:
Only while accessing the hub site
Downloaded from a site, installed on the user's terminal, and uninstalled by interrupting access to the hub site. An information providing method, wherein a questionnaire regarding the destination site is performed by displaying characters, images, or the like in the second window. By displaying characters, images, or the like in the second window, the use explanation of the service provided by the destination site is implemented. A comparative advertisement is implemented by displaying characters or images in the second window.

[0010] The information providing system according to the present invention comprises:
A link to at least one or more destination sites is provided on a button in a predetermined homepage, and the button is clicked by a pointer operated by a user to receive information from a desired destination site and A system for providing a user with (a) a hub site for providing information relating to a homepage of the destination site, and (b)
The user terminal has an input unit for operating the pointer, a unit for displaying the home page in a first window, and a trigger when the pointer is set to a button displayed in the first window. Means for receiving information from the hub site and displaying the information in the second window; and, when the button is clicked by the pointer, receiving the information received from the destination site in the first window. Means for displaying and updating the display content of the second window based on information received from the hub site.

Further, the information providing system according to the present invention includes the following configuration as another aspect. That is, the program for displaying the second window is installed in the terminal of the user in advance. The program for displaying the second window is downloaded from the hub site and installed on the terminal of the user only while accessing the hub site, and interrupts the access to the hub site. The terminal of the user displays characters, images, or the like in the second window, and conducts a questionnaire regarding the destination site. The terminal of the user displays characters or images in the second window,
The usage explanation of the service provided by the destination site is implemented. The terminal of the user performs comparative advertisement by displaying characters, images, or the like in the second window.

Therefore, according to the present invention, since the pre-POC information is displayed simply by moving the mouse pointer to the button, it is possible to obtain preliminary information on the site without clicking the button. it can. After clicking the button, not only the information of the D site is displayed, but also the
Since the information is updated to the post-OC information, it is possible to easily obtain information necessary for understanding the information on the D site. Also,
A questionnaire or the like can be conducted using the pop-up screen, and further, application to marketing research, comparative advertising, and the like can be considered.

[0013]

Next, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. As in the above conventional example,
It is assumed that a window 3 on which a page on the theme of an investment trust management company is displayed is displayed on a user terminal. Data about this page is provided by the hub site 1 or another portal site 1a or the like.
Is clicked after matching, a new window 4 is generated and the homepage of Fidelity is displayed. The procedure so far is the same as in the conventional example.

However, the present embodiment differs from the conventional example in that information is provided using a pop-up screen in the series of operations. That is, the mouse pointer 5
Is matched with the button 3a of Fidelity, a new pop-up screen 7 is displayed, and the information received from the hub site 1 (hereinafter referred to as POC (Point Of Click) pre-information) is displayed. Thereafter, when the user clicks the button 3a to learn more detailed contents, for example, by being interested in the contents of the pop-up screen 7, a window 4 is further displayed, and based on the information received from the D site 2, The Fidelity home page is displayed. At that time, new information (hereinafter referred to as PO
Is transmitted to the user terminal, and the content is displayed on the pop-up screen 7.

As described above, in the present embodiment, not only the home page is displayed by clicking the button, but also the pop-up screen is displayed simply by moving the mouse pointer to the button, and the POC received from the hub site is displayed.
Previous information can be displayed. After clicking the button, the content of the pop-up screen is updated to the post-POC information. Therefore, the present invention can provide two types of information (information before POC and information after POC) before and after accessing the homepage. By providing the two types of information in this way, at first the outline of the homepage can be explained to draw attention to the homepage, and at the same time, the understanding of the homepage can be assisted by providing a glossary after clicking. According to the present invention, a new service that has not been provided can be provided. In addition,
The buttons 3a and 3b may be posted on either a homepage provided by the hub site 1 or a homepage provided by another site (a portal site, a company web site, or the like). That is, the UR of D site 2
As long as L is registered in the hub site 1, the service based on the POC information can be received from the homepage of any site.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, the case where the service is provided to an unspecified number of users has been described.
(Referred to as information). By using the member registration system, the hub site requested by the client company can produce POC information on behalf of the client company and provide the POC information to the user.

On the other hand, the POC information display tool is distributed only to the member users from the hub site.
Unless the information display tool is installed, the service based on the POC information cannot be received. Therefore, the member users 8 (A to X) can access the hub site 1 and receive the service by downloading the POC information display tool. The hub site 1 has a plurality of client companies 9 (company a to company x).
And a storage device 1a that stores and holds a customer DB relating to member users and the like, and a storage device 1b that stores and holds POC information. Each company has its own server for providing home pages (processing device 9a).
And a customer database (hereinafter, referred to as a customer DB), or a homepage may be provided to another company (D site processing device 2).

Here, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. In the following, an automatic or manual connection between the hub site and the user's terminal, whether or not a tool for displaying POC information includes a list of D sites,
A description will be given of the case where the user accesses the D site via the hub site. This case is as described in Table 1.

[0019]

[Table 1]

First, the procedure for registering a member at the hub site will be described. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram for explaining member registration. As shown in the figure, the user sends a member registration start request to the hub site. Then
A request for sending member registration personal information is sent from the hub site to the user. Next, the user sends the member registration personal information to the hub site. Here, specific examples of the member registration personal information include personal information such as a name, address, and telephone number, content information, and a questionnaire. Thereafter, a series of procedures is completed by sending a member registration end notification from the hub site to the user.

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining member registration and a procedure for downloading a POC information display tool. First, perform the membership registration in the same manner as in FIG.
Thereafter, when the member registration end notification is transmitted from the hub site to the user, the hub site continuously sends the POC information display tool download information to the user. Here, the POC information display tool download information is a program or the like that describes the type of OS used in the user terminal and the download procedure. Further, a list of sites that can display POC information may be sent. Thereafter, when a download start request is transmitted to the hub site by the user, the download of the POC information display tool is started. When the download load is completed, a download end notification is transmitted from the hub site to the user.

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure for downloading the POC information display tool. In this procedure, it is assumed that the member registration has already been completed according to the sequence shown in FIGS. When the user issues a login request to the hub site, the hub site receiving the request requests the user for the ID and password (hereinafter, referred to as PW) set at the time of member registration. When the correct ID and PW are input by the user, the hub site sends a login end notification to the user. Next, the hub site sends the tool download information for displaying the POC information to the user. The content of this information is the same as above. Next, a download start request is transmitted to the hub site, and the download is started. When the download is completed, a download end notification is sent from the hub site to the user.

FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram for explaining the display of the POC information (automatic connection, via a hub site including a D site list of tools). When the user activates the browser, the POC information display tool is automatically activated. Then, the tool automatically sends a connection establishment request to the hub site. The hub site extracts the user identification information transmitted at the time of establishing this connection, and checks the contents with the contents of the customer DB installed in the hub site. As a result, if the verification is successful, a connection establishment is transmitted to the user. If the match is not successful, no connection is established.

Next, the user sends a hub site access request to the hub site. The hub site again compares the user recognition information with the customer DB, and then extracts hub site information customized for each user,
Send to user. Then, on the user side, the homepage of the hub site is displayed on the screen, and a pop-up screen is displayed. Thereafter, as soon as the user places the mouse pointer on a button in the hub site screen, the D site pointer information is transmitted to the hub site, and the hub site checks the user identification information against the customer DB. Then, pre-POC information customized for each D site is extracted and sent to the user.

Then, on the user's terminal, the received P is displayed on the pop-up screen displayed earlier.
The pre-OC information is displayed. Thereafter, when the button is clicked by the user, a D site access request is transmitted from the user to the D site, and the user is notified of the D site access information to the hub site. The D site that has received the D site access request immediately transmits the D site information, which is the content of the home page, to the user, and as a result, the home page of the D site is displayed on the user terminal. The hub site checks the user recognition information against the customer DB, extracts post-POC information customized for each D site, and transmits the information to the user. Then, on the user side terminal, the display content of the pop-up screen is updated to the received post-POC information.

FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram for explaining the display of POC information (automatic connection, direct access to D site including a D site list by a tool). When the browser is started by the user, the POC information display tool is automatically started. The user issues a connection establishment request to the hub site. The hub site compares the user identification information with the customer DB, and transmits a connection establishment notification to the user when the comparison is successful. The user sends a D site access request to the D site, and sends the D site access request to the hub site.
Send access information notification. Then, the D site transmits the D site information to the user, the D site screen is displayed on the user side terminal, and the hub site checks the user recognition information against the customer DB, and then customizes the D site. The hub site information and post-POC information are extracted and transmitted to the user. A hub site screen is displayed on the user terminal, and post-POC information is displayed on a pop-up screen.

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram for explaining the display of the POC information (non-automatic connection, via a hub site, in which the tool includes a D site list). When the browser is activated, the POC information display tool is automatically activated. The user issues a hub site access request to the hub site, and the hub site checks the user identification information with the customer DB, extracts the customized hub site information, and provides the user with the hub site access request. Send. On the user's terminal, a hub site screen is displayed and a pop-up screen is displayed. afterwards,
As soon as the user moves the mouse pointer over the button, the D site pointer information is notified to the hub site.

The hub site stores user identification information and a customer DB.
Then, the customized pre-POC information is transmitted to the user. On the user side terminal, the received pre-POC information is displayed on the pop-up screen. Thereafter, when the button is clicked by the user, a D site access request is issued to the D site, and the D site access information is notified to the hub site. The D site notifies the user of the D site information, and a D site screen is displayed on the terminal on the user side. The hub site compares the user recognition information with the customer DB and extracts the customized post-POC information.
The extracted information is transmitted to the user and displayed on a pop-up screen.

FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram for explaining display of POC information (non-automatic connection, direct access to D site including a D site list by a tool). When the user activates the browser, the POC information display tool is automatically activated. The user issues a D site access request to the D site, and the D site
Access detection and comparison with the POC information-compatible site list are performed. The user is notified of the connection establishment request and the D-site access information to the hub site, and the hub site checks the user identification information against the customer DB, and then customizes the customized hub site information and PO data.
Extract post-C information. From the D site to the user,
The D site information is transmitted, and the D site screen is displayed on the terminal on the user side. The hub site transmits a connection establishment notification, hub site information, and post-POC information to the user. A hub site screen is displayed on the terminal on the user side, and post-POC information is displayed on the pop-up screen.

FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram for explaining the temporary download of the POC information display tool. Member registration is performed from the user to the hub site, and the procedure is the same as that shown in FIGS. When the member registration is completed, the POC information display tool is temporarily downloaded to the user terminal. That is, the tool is installed only while accessing the hub site, and is uninstalled when the access to the hub site ends. A pop-up screen is displayed on the terminal on the user side, and when the user moves the mouse pointer over the button, a D site pointer information notification is sent to the hub site.

The hub site stores user identification information and a customer DB.
After that, the customized pre-POC information is extracted and transmitted to the user. In the terminal on the user side, the pre-POC information is displayed on the pop-up screen, and when the button is clicked by the user, a D site access request is transmitted to the D site. Further, the D site access information is notified to the hub site. D site information is transmitted from the D site to the user, and the D site screen is displayed on the user terminal. At the hub site, user identification information and customer D
After the matching with B, the customized post-POC information is extracted and transmitted to the user. In the terminal on the user side, post-POC information is displayed on a pop-up screen.

FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram for explaining the temporary download of the POC information display tool. When a user issues a log-in request to the hub site, the hub site requests input of ID and PW. When the ID and PW are input by the user, the hub site performs the collation and, if successful, performs a login completion notification and temporarily downloads the tool. The user's terminal activates the temporarily downloaded tool and displays a pop-up screen. Thereafter, when the user moves the mouse pointer over the button, the D site pointer information is notified from the user to the hub site.

The hub site stores user identification information and a customer DB.
Then, the customized pre-POC information is extracted and transmitted to the user. In the terminal on the user side, the pre-POC information is displayed on the pop-up screen, and when the button is clicked by the user, a D site access request is transmitted to the D site and the hub site is transmitted to the hub site. A D site access information notification is sent. The D site sends the D site information to the user. On the user's terminal, a D site screen is displayed, and the hub site displays the user identification information and the customer D
After performing the matching with B, the customized post-POC information is extracted and transmitted to the user. In the terminal on the user side, post-POC information is displayed on a pop-up screen.

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram for explaining a marketing research agency service using the present invention. A login request is issued from the D site to the hub site. The hub site sends an ID and PW request to the D site, and when the ID and PW are input by the D site, the hub site notifies the D site of a login end notification. The D site issues a marketing research agency request to the hub site, and sends the request details and confirmation to the D site. When the request / confirmation is sent to the hub site by the D site,
Hub sites conduct marketing research.
That is, display of a questionnaire and the like and reception of an answer are performed using the pre-POC information and post-POC information. That is,
A questionnaire sentence is displayed on the pop-up screen using characters, images (still images, moving images), and the like, and the answer is received by an input unit provided on the pop-up screen. The responses from the marketing research users are sent to the hub site to be collected and analyzed, and then sent to the requesting D site.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a business model according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, a POC, a hub, and a plurality of member users 8 and client companies are connected.
By providing the service providing means 10, it is possible to provide various services such as a questionnaire, commentary on service usage, commentary on terms, marketing research, site advertisement or comparative advertisement.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, a link to at least one or more destination sites is provided.
A method of receiving information from a desired destination site and providing it to the user by placing the home page on a button in a predetermined homepage and clicking the button with a pointer operated by the user, Displayed in the first window of the terminal,
When the pointer is pointed at the button displayed in the first window, a predetermined hub
Receiving information from a site and displaying it in a second window of the user's terminal, and displaying the information received from the destination site in the first window in response to the button being clicked by the pointer; At the same time, the display content of the second window is updated based on the information received from the hub site.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the pre-POC information is displayed only by pointing the mouse pointer to the button, so that the preliminary information on the site can be obtained without clicking the button. it can. After clicking the button, not only the information of the D site is displayed, but also the
Since the information is updated to the post-OC information, it is possible to easily obtain information necessary for understanding the information on the D site. Also,
Questionnaires and the like can be conducted using the pop-up screen, and further, application to marketing research, comparative advertising, and the like is also possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram for explaining member registration.

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining a member registration and a procedure for downloading a POC information display tool.

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure for downloading a POC information display tool.

FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram for explaining display of POC information (automatic connection, a tool including a D site list, via a hub site).

FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram for explaining display of POC information (automatic connection, direct access to a D site including a D site list by a tool).

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram for explaining display of POC information (non-automatic connection, a tool including a D site list, via a hub site).

FIG. 9: Display of POC information (non-automatic connection, direct access to D site including D site list by tool)
FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram for explaining temporary download of a POC information display tool.

FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram for explaining temporary download of a POC information display tool.

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram for explaining a marketing research agency service using the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a business model according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional example.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a banner advertisement.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Hub site, 1a Storage device (customer DB), 1b
... storage device (POC information), 2 ... destination
Site (D site), 3 window, 4 window, 5 mouse pointer, 6 advertisement site, 7 site
Pop-up screen, 8 ... Member user, 9 ... Client company, 9a ... Processing device, 9b ... Storage device (customer DB),
10. POC / hub service providing means.

Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kazushige Osakaya 1-6-6 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo NTT Communications Corporation (72) Inventor Gen Sakurai 1-chome Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo No. 1-6 NTT COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION F-term (reference) 5B085 BE07 BG07 CC02 5B089 GA23 GB04 HA10 HB02 HB05 JA22 JA34 JB02 KA00 LB08 LB14

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A link to at least one or more destination sites is provided on a button in a predetermined homepage, and when this button is clicked by a pointer operated by a user, information from a desired destination site is displayed. In the method of receiving and providing to the user, displaying the home page in a first window of the user terminal, triggered by the pointer being pointed to a button displayed in the first window, Given hub
Receiving information from a site and displaying it in a second window of the user's terminal; displaying the information received from the destination site in the first window in response to the button being clicked by the pointer; With
Based on the information received from the hub site,
An information providing method characterized by updating display contents of a window. 2. The program according to claim 1, wherein the program for displaying the second window is:
An information providing method, which is pre-installed on the user terminal. 3. The program according to claim 1, wherein the program for displaying the second window is:
Only while accessing the hub site
An information providing method, which is downloaded from a site, installed on a terminal of the user, and uninstalled by interrupting access to the hub site. 4. The information providing method according to claim 1, wherein a questionnaire regarding the destination site is performed by displaying characters, images, or the like in the second window. 5. The information providing method according to claim 1, wherein a description of use of a service provided by the destination site is provided by displaying characters or images in the second window. 6. The information providing method according to claim 1, wherein a comparative advertisement is performed by displaying characters, images, or the like in the second window. 7. A link to at least one or more destination sites is provided on a button in a predetermined homepage, and when this button is clicked by a pointer operated by a user, information from the desired destination site is displayed. And (a) a hub site for providing information on a homepage of the destination site, and (b) a terminal of the user for operating the pointer. Input means; means for displaying the home page in a first window; receiving the information from the hub site when the pointer is pointed at a button displayed in the first window; Means for displaying in two windows, and the button is clicked by the pointer. The information received from the destination site is displayed in the first window as a result of being clicked,
Based on the information received from the hub site,
Means for updating display contents of a window. 8. The program according to claim 7, wherein the program for displaying the second window comprises:
An information providing system, which is pre-installed on the user terminal. 9. The program according to claim 7, wherein the program for displaying the second window comprises:
Only while accessing the hub site
An information providing system, which is downloaded from a site, installed on a terminal of the user, and uninstalled by interrupting access to the hub site. 10. The information providing system according to claim 7, wherein the terminal of the user displays a character, an image, or the like in the second window, and performs a questionnaire on the destination site. 11. The information according to claim 7, wherein the user terminal displays characters, images, or the like in the second window, and implements a use explanation of a service provided by the destination site. Delivery system. 12. The information providing system according to claim 7, wherein the user terminal executes a comparative advertisement by displaying characters, images, or the like in the second window.