JP2002150180A - Rental system and rental method for digital information using network and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a means for allowing a member to enjoy rental service such as a movie and music without being restricted by time and area for rental and return. SOLUTION: This rental system has a member terminal 4 controlled by the member of a rental service dealer, and having the function to be connected to a network, a digital information database 3 for storing digital information by converting the movie and the music into digital data, and a rental server 2 for renting the digital information to the member terminal 4 connected via the network. The member terminal 4 downloads the digital information from the rental server 2 when receiving rent of the digital information, and uploads the digital information to the rental sever 2 when returning the digital information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rental system and a rental method for renting out image information such as a movie and audio information such as music to a member for a predetermined period.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, a rental video store for renting out video tapes or DVDs (digital video discs) containing movies and television dramas to members, or a CD (compact disc) containing music for members has been lent to members. Rental CD shops exist in various places, mainly in urban areas. Also, one rental store has a videotape or D
In some cases, both VD and CD are lent.

[0003] Usually, when renting a video tape or the like at such a rental store, the member himself goes to the rental store,
A desired video tape or the like is selected from the display shelves, brought to a reception of the store, and subjected to a lending procedure. Then, after watching the movie or music, the member goes to the rental shop again before the predetermined rental period ends, and returns the video tape and the like to the rental shop.

[0004]

However, in the past, it was not possible to receive a loan unless the user went to a rental store, and it was necessary to go to the rental store when returning the vehicle. For this reason, it was necessary to go to the rental shop during the business hours of the rental shop, and time constraints were a burden for members. Further, there is a case where all the desired video tapes and CDs are being lent out even though the user goes to the rental shop. In this case, the time for visiting the shop is wasted for the member.

[0005] In addition, it is difficult for elderly people, physically handicapped persons, sick persons, and the like who are unable to go out to go to a rental store by themselves. You have to come to the rental shop after you have come and watch it on your behalf. Therefore, lending or returning cannot be performed as scheduled depending on the circumstances of the agent. Also, they can't choose the movie or music they want to rent at a rental store. As described above, a person who cannot go out cannot use a rental store as desired.

[0006] Also, there are cases where rental shops do not exist within the living area in mountainous areas and remote islands outside urban areas, and people living in such areas can rent video tapes and CDs from rental shops. It was difficult to watch movies and music.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a means by which members can enjoy rental services such as movies and music without being restricted in terms of time and area for lending and returning.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a rental system according to the present invention includes at least one member terminal operated by a member of a rental service provider and having a function of connecting to a network; A digital information database for storing digital information; and a rental server for renting the digital information to the member terminal connected via the network.

According to the rental system of the present invention,
It becomes possible to rent digital information obtained by converting a movie, music, or the like into digital data via a network. Therefore, the member can enjoy the rental service of movies, music, and the like without being restricted in terms of time and area for lending and returning.

[0010] Further, the member terminal requests the rental server to lend the digital information,
The rental server may be configured to allow the member terminal to download the digital information when the rental request is approved.

[0011] Further, a customer information database in which settlement information for determining whether or not to accept settlement authentication is stored for each customer, and the customer is connected to the network, and the rental server is requested to refer to the settlement information. In some cases, the information processing apparatus may further include a payment server that determines whether to perform payment authentication by comparing information transmitted from the rental server with information stored in the customer information database.

At this time, the member terminal requests the rental server to lend the digital information, and the rental server, upon receiving the lending request from the member terminal, inquires the settlement server of the settlement information. The member terminal may be configured to request and download the digital information to the member terminal when the payment authentication is obtained from the payment server.

Further, the member terminal may be configured to return the digital information by uploading the downloaded digital information to the rental server.

[0014] Alternatively, the digital information downloaded to the member terminal may be configured to disappear after a predetermined rental period has elapsed. According to this, the member does not need to perform the operation of returning after the rental period, so that it is not necessary to return the member, and even if the member forgets to return, the late charge is not added.

A rental method according to the present invention is a digital information rental method for renting digital information between a member terminal and a rental server connected via a network, wherein the rental information is connected to the rental server. Providing information on the digital information stored in the digital information database to the member terminal via the network; and, for the digital information to be lent, requesting a loan from the member terminal to the rental server. And when the lending request is approved, the rental server notifies the member terminal that the downloading of the digital information related to the lending request is approved.

According to the rental method of the present invention, it is possible to rent digital information obtained by converting a movie, music, or the like into digital data via a network. Therefore, the member can enjoy the rental service of movies, music, and the like without being restricted in terms of time and area for lending and returning.

[0017] Further, the method may further include a step in which the member terminal downloads the digital information after the member terminal is notified that the download is approved.

When the rental server is requested by the rental server to make an inquiry for payment information,
The payment authentication is performed by comparing the information transmitted from the rental server with information stored in a customer information database in which payment information for determining whether to accept the payment authentication is stored for each customer. Is connected via the network to the settlement server for determining whether or not to make the request, if the lending request is approved, the rental server allows the member terminal to download the digital information related to the lending request. The step of notifying, when the rental server receives the lending request from the member terminal, requests the payment server to inquire of payment information, and when the payment authentication is obtained from the payment server, the rental server Notifying that download of the digital information is approved It may be configured.

In addition, the method may further include a step of returning the digital information by uploading the digital information downloaded to the member terminal to the rental server.

Alternatively, the method may further include a step of deleting the digital information downloaded to the member terminal after a predetermined rental period has elapsed. According to this, the member does not need to perform the operation of returning after the rental period, so that it is not necessary to return the member, and even if the member forgets to return, the late charge is not added.

The recording medium of the present invention is a recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute a process of renting digital information between a member terminal and a rental server connected via a network is recorded. A process of providing information related to digital information stored in a digital information database connected to the rental server to the member terminal via the network; and When accepting the lending request when the lending request is notified to the server, the computer executes, from the rental server, a process of notifying the member terminal that the digital information relating to the lending request is permitted to be downloaded. Program to let It is recorded.

[0022]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a digital information rental system using a network according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, the Internet is used as an example of a network.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rental system according to the present embodiment has a member information terminal 3 connected via the Internet 1 to a digital information database 3 for storing digital information in which video and music are converted into digital data. 4 and a rental server 2 for renting digital information to the rental server 2 via the Internet 1 to request rental of the digital information from the rental server 2 or return digital information to the rental server 2. And a member terminal 4 for performing. The rental server 2 is a recording medium 2 storing a program for executing the rental method of the present embodiment.
a. This program is read from the recording medium 2a into the rental server 2, and
Control the operation of. This recording medium 2a may be a magnetic disk, a semiconductor memory, or another recording medium.

Further, the rental system has a settlement server 5 of a settlement company such as a credit company or a bank connected to the Internet 1, and a customer information database 6 storing customer information of the settlement company.

When the settlement company is a credit company, the customer information database 6 stores the current credit payment status of the customer, the remaining debt in the credit payment, the credit sales limit, the past repayment record, and the credit contract. The credit information, such as the expiration date, for determining whether to accept credit sales, is stored for each customer. When the settlement company is a bank, the customer information database 6 stores, for each customer, balance information, which is information for determining whether the money can be withdrawn, such as the balance in the customer's account. Have been.

The settlement server 5 is a server provided by the settlement company. When the rental server 2 makes an inquiry about settlement information, the transmitted member (customer) information is stored in the customer information database 6. By comparing the information with the credit information or the balance information, it is determined whether or not to authenticate the payment, and the result is transmitted to the rental server 2.

Before starting a rental service using the rental system, the rental service company converts various movies stored on video tapes and DVDs and music stored on CDs and record boards into digital data.
The digital information is stored in the digital information database 3. Further, the rental service provider publishes a title of a rentable movie, music, or the like and a description of the outline thereof on a homepage on the rental server 2, and provides the information to the member.

On the other hand, the user (at this time, “unmember”) operates the terminal 4 to connect to the rental server 2 via the Internet 1, and provides a service company on the home page on the rental server 2. Apply for membership. This membership application is performed by writing the user's address, name, telephone number, e-mail address, the user's credit card number, bank account number, and the like in predetermined fields on the homepage and transmitting them to the rental server 2. . The rental server 2 determines whether or not to approve the membership application by the above-described program, and when it is determined to be approved, notifies the user of the membership password by e-mail or the like. Through the above procedure, the user is registered in the rental server 2 as a “member” who can receive the rental service.

Next, a rental method using the rental system of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the member operates the member terminal 4 to connect to the rental server 2 via the Internet 1 and inputs a member password to access a home page on the rental server 2. Subsequently, the member browses the title of the movie or music posted on this homepage and its description, and clicks on the title of the movie or music to rent, thereby requesting the rental of this movie or music (step). 1). At this time, the member goes through the prescribed procedure on the homepage,
Determine the desired rental period.

The rental server 2 which has received the lending request from the member terminal 4 transmits information such as the rental fee, the member's name, the credit number or the bank account number to the settlement server 5 via the Internet 1 and sets the settlement information. (Step 2).

The settlement server 5 requested to make an inquiry about the settlement information from the rental server 2 performs the settlement authentication by comparing the information transmitted from the rental server 2 with the information stored in the customer information database 6. Judge whether the result is Internet 1
(Step 3).

When the rental server 2 receives an authentication notification from the payment server 5 indicating that "payment authentication has been approved", the rental server 2 transmits a rental acceptance notification to the member terminal 4 (step 4). ).

After receiving the rental acceptance notice, the member downloads digital information such as a movie or music to be rented from the rental server 2 and records the information on the internal recording medium provided in the member terminal 4 or the external recording medium connected to the member terminal 4. It is stored in a recording medium (step 5). Examples of these recording media include a hard disk drive and a writable CD-ROM or DVD-ROM.
One having a relatively large storage capacity is used. CD-RO
Since M and DVD-ROM can be easily carried, it is preferable to download to such a medium when playing a movie or music on a device other than the member terminal 4. The digital information to be downloaded includes a copy guard program for preventing copying after downloading, an automatic deletion program for automatically deleting digital information from the recording medium after returning, a unique rental serial number, and the like. I have.

When the download of the digital information is completed, the member watches a movie or music (step 6). You can watch as many times as you like during the rental period.

After the viewing is completed, the member operates the member terminal 4 to operate the rental server 2 via the Internet 1.
To access the homepage on the rental server 2 by inputting the member password. Subsequently, a "return" procedure is performed on the homepage (step 7).

More specifically, when a member selects a member who wants to return from the list of members receiving the rental service displayed on the homepage, and clicks on the member, the rental server 2 sends the member terminal 4 The digital information upload request notification is transmitted. When the member terminal 4 receives the upload request notification, the member terminal 4 automatically uploads the digital information to be returned stored in the recording medium to the rental server 2. When the upload is completed, the returned digital information is automatically deleted from the recording medium by the above-described automatic deletion program.

The rental server 2 reads the rental serial number included in the uploaded digital information, confirms the completion of the return operation based on this, and calculates the rental period (step 8).

The rental server 2 sends a notice of requesting a predetermined rental fee to the settlement server 5 when the return is made within the scheduled rental period, and when the return is made after the scheduled rental period. Transmits a billing notice of the sum of the predetermined rental fee and the delinquent fee to the settlement server 5 (step 9).

Upon confirming that the settlement server 5 has received the billing notice from the rental server 2, the settlement company collects a fee from the designated account of the member and remits it to the rental service company (step 10). Note that the collection of the fee from the member and the remittance to the rental service provider may be automatically performed by the settlement server 5 via the Internet 1 or online of a financial institution.

As described above, according to the rental system of the present embodiment, the member does not need to go to the rental store to receive or return the rental, so that the member does not care about the business hours of the rental store, You can borrow and return on time. In addition, the rental system of the present embodiment rents by downloading digital information from a rental server, so that a situation in which a video tape or CD cannot be borrowed while being lent can be eliminated.

In addition, the elderly, disabled, sick, and the like who are unable to go out can receive the rental service using the member terminal 4 at home or the like. At this time, the user can select his / her favorite movie or music from the list posted on the homepage of the rental server 2.

Furthermore, a person living in an area where there is no rental shop within the living area, such as a mountainous area or a remote island outside an urban area, can receive the rental service.

In the above description, an example using the Internet 1 as an example of a network has been described. However, the network is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a dedicated line connecting a rental service provider and a member.

(Other Embodiments) In the above-described embodiment, the digital information is downloaded at the time of lending, and the digital information is uploaded to the rental server at the time of return. The information may be configured to disappear automatically after the rental period ends.

In this case, the digital information to be downloaded includes a so-called time-out program for automatically deleting the digital information from the recording medium at the download destination after a predetermined period. The period is managed by a timer or the like of the member terminal 4 at the download destination.

[0048] This eliminates the need for the member to perform a return operation after the rental period, so that the member is not required to return the rental period, and the late charge is not added even if the member forgets to return it.

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention, a member terminal operated by a member, a digital information database storing digital information, and rental of digital information to a member terminal connected through a network are provided. And a rental server that performs rentals of digital information via a network, so that members can rent and return digital information, such as movies and music, without being restricted by time or area. You can enjoy the rental service.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a digital information rental system using a network according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a rental method using the rental system shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Internet 2 Rental server 2a Recording medium 3 Digital information database 4 Member terminal 5 Payment server 6 Customer information database

Claims (12)

[Claims] At least one member terminal operated by a member of a rental service provider and having a function of connecting to a network, a digital information database storing digital information, and a connection through the network A rental server for renting the digital information to the member terminal; 2. The member terminal requests the rental server to lend the digital information, and the rental server authorizes the member terminal to download the digital information when the lending request is granted. The rental system according to claim 1. 3. A customer information database in which payment information for determining whether or not to accept payment authentication is stored for each customer; and a connection is made to the network, and a request for payment information is requested from the rental server. 2. The payment server according to claim 1, further comprising a payment server that determines whether to perform payment authentication by comparing information transmitted from the rental server with information stored in the customer information database. Rental system. 4. The member terminal requests the rental server to lend the digital information, and the rental server receives the lending request from the member terminal and requests the settlement server to inquire of the settlement information. 4. The rental system according to claim 3, wherein when the payment authentication is obtained from the payment server, the member terminal is permitted to download the digital information. 5. The rental system according to claim 2, wherein the member terminal returns the digital information by uploading the downloaded digital information to the rental server. 6. The rental system according to claim 2, wherein the digital information downloaded to the member terminal disappears after a predetermined rental period has elapsed. 7. A digital information rental method for renting digital information between a member terminal and a rental server connected via a network, wherein the digital information rental method is stored in a digital information database connected to the rental server. Providing the information related to the digital information to the member terminal via the network; performing a lending request from the member terminal to the rental server for the digital information to be lent; and granting the lending request. Sending a notification from the rental server to the member terminal that the digital information relating to the lending request is permitted to be downloaded. 8. The rental method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of downloading the digital information by the member terminal after the member terminal is notified that the download is approved. 9. The rental server, when requested to make an inquiry about payment information from the rental server, transmits the information transmitted from the rental server to the payment information for determining whether to accept the payment authentication. The payment server is connected via the network to a payment server that determines whether to perform payment authentication by comparing information stored in a customer information database stored for each customer, and When accepting, the step of notifying from the rental server to the member terminal that the download of the digital information relating to the lending request is permitted includes the step of: when the rental server receives the lending request from the member terminal, settlement to the settlement server. Request information inquiry and get payment authentication from the payment server Consists in performing a notification to admit the download of the digital information to the member terminal if it, according to claim 7
Or the rental method described in 8. 10. The rental method according to claim 7, further comprising returning the digital information by uploading the digital information downloaded to the member terminal to the rental server. 11. The rental method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of deleting the digital information downloaded to the member terminal after a predetermined rental period has elapsed. 12. A recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a process of renting digital information between a member terminal and a rental server connected via a network, wherein the program is connected to the rental server. A process of providing information on digital information stored in the obtained digital information database to the member terminal via the network; and for the digital information desired to be lent, the member terminal notifies the rental server of a lending request. When the loan request is approved,
A recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute a process of notifying the member terminal of downloading the digital information relating to the rental request from the rental server to the member terminal is recorded.