JP2002197292A - Electronic magazine and sales method of the electronic magazine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize publication which is able to provide information only required by readers, and to bring profits to both a provider and a recipient of the information. SOLUTION: The invention comprised of multiple contents stored on a server 13 as digital data provides an electronic magazine 14 of which only contents specified by the readers can be downloaded through a communication means such as Internet 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic magazine which is distributed to a user as digital data through communication means such as the Internet, and a method of selling the electronic magazine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Usually, publications such as magazines are distributed and sold as printed books, and their contents and prices are unified for each publication.

[0003]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, various articles are published in magazines and the like published as ordinary publications, and all the articles are necessary for individual subscribers. It is rare. Therefore, the subscriber pays the purchase price for information unnecessary for himself, and he cannot deny that he is uneconomical. The same applies to a paid mail magazine distributed via the Internet.

[0004] On the other hand, the information that the reader wants is rarely collected in one publication, and in order to obtain all the information that the reader wants, it is often necessary to purchase a plurality of publications. For example, a travel planner may want to get various information about a destination,
Published travel guides are regionalized and distributed, so if you want to travel to more than one region, you must purchase several travel guides for each region. And even if you buy several books, they don't necessarily mean that you'll find articles on topics of interest.

[0005] In addition, when there are a large number of publications in which the desired information may be published, it is necessary to look at all of them and select the one worthy of purchase. Becomes extremely large. In recent years, books have been sold on the Internet. In this case, the target of purchase can be limited to some extent by performing a search based on the title, author name, etc. of the book, but the contents of the book are also viewed Because you ca n’t do that
Even if you use internet sales,
It is difficult to determine whether something is worth buying.

[0006] Further, publications such as magazines require space for storage for both readers and providers, and their management is not easy. In particular, when a back number of a magazine is sold, the magazine provider requires storage space and labor to manage the back number inventory.

[0007] On the other hand, since back numbers are not stored in general bookstores, a person who intends to purchase them needs to perform a troublesome procedure of directly inquiring the seller. Also, if there is no back number in the bookstore,
It is practically impossible to find out the necessary information from many back issues.

Further, it is not easy to obtain magazines sold in foreign countries that are sold only in a limited number of bookstores in Japan, and are sold only in foreign countries and sold in Japan. Not only those that are not easily obtained, but also the problem that import procedures are required and the purchase price becomes high. There are some companies that provide copy services for such books, but the reality is that the copy price is extremely high due to recovery of import costs and the like.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a publication which can provide only information required by a reader and which benefits both the information providing side and the information receiving side. .

[0010]

As a specific means for achieving the above object, the present invention comprises a plurality of contents stored in a server as digital data, of which a plurality of contents are designated by a user computer. Provided is an electronic magazine capable of transmitting only the content thus selected from a server to a user computer via communication means.

[0011] The electronic magazine has an additional requirement that the contents include moving picture or audio information.

Further, according to the present invention, a plurality of contents are stored in a server, and among the plurality of contents, only contents designated by a user computer accessing the server are transmitted to the user computer via the communication means. And a method of selling an electronic magazine in which the designated content is sold.

[0013] In this electronic magazine selling method, a plurality of electronic magazines are stored in a server, and only contents specified by a user computer accessing the server among contents constituting the plurality of electronic magazines are communicated. Sending the designated content to the user computer via the means for selling the specified content, searching the server for content having the specified character or image at the user computer,
Sending the content specified by the search to the user computer, charging for each sent content, the communication means being the Internet, the user computer being a multimedia kiosk terminal, a multimedia kiosk terminal Is an additional requirement that the downloaded content can be recorded on an appropriate medium.

[0014] According to the electronic magazine and the sales method configured as described above, it is possible to purchase only desired contents according to the reader's preference. Since the content can include not only characters and still images but also moving images and sounds, the information providing function has a wider range of options and higher realism.

[0015] Further, since the purchased content is composed of only digital data, a storage space is not required as in a normal publication.

On the other hand, since the contents consist only of digital data, the contents can be added or deleted freely, and the maintenance is also easy for both the information source and the creator of the electronic magazine. .
In addition, since there is no need to keep stock, management is extremely easy, and this effect is particularly large in the sale of back numbers.

Furthermore, if an electronic magazine can be purchased using a multimedia kiosk terminal, a person who does not own a device having a communication function such as a personal computer can also purchase an electronic magazine.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As a first embodiment of the present invention, an electronic magazine sold in a sales system 10 having the configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be described. This sales system 10
Is an Internet 11, a user computer 12 connectable to the Internet 11, and an Internet 1
Server 1 accessible from a user computer 12 such as a personal computer (PC)
The server 13 stores the contents of the electronic magazine 14 of the present invention as a database.

In the user computer 12, the Web
When a predetermined address of the server 13 is accessed using a browser, for example, a top page 20 of an image as shown in FIG. 2 is displayed. This top page 20 is called “Gl
obal Girl "is an image that introduces the contents of an electronic magazine titled" Oval Girl ", and the electronic magazine is set in a different city every time. The theme of this issue is Paris, and various information about Paris is stored in multiple contents.

"Global Girl" in the illustrated example
Then, the main target is women in their 20s and 30s, and the content of each content is composed of local women in their 20s and 30s who live and live in various parts of the world and interview them about the way they live ing.

The top page 20 is described using, for example, HTML, and in the illustrated example, “Music Li
ve "21," Life style "22," Hot
el "23," Job "24," Beauty "2
5, "Carrier" 26, "Fashion" 2
7, “Wedding” 28, “Cinema” 2
9. The content "Gourmet" 30 is displayed. A unique URL is assigned to each content displayed here, and the content is stored in the server 13. In the top page 20, for example, a link to each content can be set by using a clickable map function.
Although only characters are displayed in the illustrated image, a photograph or the like is actually displayed.

Content "Music Live" 21
Is a content that introduces the music of the genre or musician that is being talked about. Have information. When the user clicks here, the audio information and the image information are downloaded from the server 13 and stored in the designated recording medium of the user computer 12. The method of purchasing a compact disc (CD) and a live ticket is also introduced here.

Content “Life Style” 22
Is content that interviews women living in the country and introduces the contents of interviews on fashion, play, work, etc., using images, sounds, letters, and the like. When the user clicks here, image information including a still image or a moving image at the time of the interview, audio information on the actual voice of the person, character information, and the like are downloaded from the server 13 and stored in the designated recording medium of the user computer 12. . For image information, either a moving image or a still image can be selected, and for audio information, either native speech or Japanese can be selected.

[0024] The content "Hotel" 23 is a content mainly for introducing a hotel for tourists, and information about a hotel which is not included in a general travel guide.
It contains information on first-class hotel campaign news, condos and apartments for foreigners,
Click here to download the still image and textual information of the hotel. Bookings such as application and reservation are also possible.

[0025] The content "Job" 24 is a content introducing job information in the field. In this issue, a job of a Japanese employee of an IT-related company is posted. You can download useful information for the Japanese who are trying to do this. Bookings such as application are also possible.

The content "Beauty" 25 is a content in which Parisienne approaches the essence of beauty and introduces its contents. Clicking here allows download of image information and character information relating to beauty.

[0027] The content "Carrier" 26 is a content that introduces schools centered on unique vocational schools and professional training schools that can be attended locally, and also introduces interviews with students and teachers by voice as raw voices. Yes, if you click here, you can download audio information and image information at the time of the interview, image information and text information related to the introduction of the school. Bookings such as application and consultation are also possible.

The content "Fashion" 27 is a content that introduces a photograph about a fashion-related store and also introduces information about a trendy store, merchandise, and its price. It is possible to download image information and character information on products and products.

The content "Wedding" 28 is a content which covers a wedding party overseas and introduces a church, a chapel, etc. to a couple who intends to have a wedding abroad, and also introduces them so that they can be arranged directly. By clicking here, it is possible to download image information including a photograph of a chapel or the like, and text information on a reservation method and the like.

[0030] The content "Cinema" 29 is a content that introduces a movie that has been a topic in the field, including a movie that has not been released yet, and also introduces performances and the like. You can download videos and text information to introduce.

The content "Gourmet" 30 is a content for introducing a local popular restaurant or the like.
If you click here, you can download image information and text information about the restaurant location, food, price, etc. Reservations can also be made.

Thus, on the top page 20,
By placing the mouse cursor on the desired content and clicking, the content can be downloaded in units of content, and the downloaded content can be reproduced at any time by saving it on a recording medium such as a hard disk.

When examining the content to be purchased, by specifying and searching for a keyword (character) as a point, the content including the keyword can be picked up.

In addition, a search can be performed using an image instead of a keyword. In this case, for example, a still image or a moving image constituting the content is searched by using image search software or the like sold by Excalibur Technology, USA.

When one or two or more contents to be purchased are determined based on the result of the search using characters or images, only the specified contents can be downloaded by clicking a purchase button on the screen. Can be.

In each of the downloaded contents, information can be provided in a form that includes moving images and voices in addition to the information of characters and still images, thereby increasing the sense of realism and attractive to the readers. It will be.

As for the fee, a fee is charged for each downloaded content. For example, if the fee for one content is 200 yen, if three contents are downloaded, 600 yen will be paid. This payment is made by, for example, a credit card settlement or billing through an Internet provider. In addition, an ID and a password may be issued by paying cash in advance at a multimedia kiosk terminal installed in a convenience store or the like, and the content may be downloaded by inputting the ID and the password on a personal computer. Alternatively, a telephone having a billing system may be used. Further, it may be sold to members only as a membership system.

As described above, only the desired contents can be purchased according to each user's preference, and the price can be reduced at a lower price than the purchase in a lump, which is economical. Also, since the downloaded content does not include unnecessary information, the capacity of a recording medium such as a hard disk can be minimized, storage is easy, and hardware resources are effectively used. be able to.

On the other hand, it is also possible to download all contents at once, or to subscribe monthly. In the case of a subscription, it is desirable that the user send the message on a fixed day every month, as in a normal e-mail magazine, instead of downloading using a browser.

The subscription can be performed for all contents, or can be performed by designating only specific contents. The period of the subscription is, for example, in units of 6 months or 12 months, and is set at a lower price than when downloading monthly.

Further, as for the back number, it is possible to collectively download all contents or download only specific contents.

When downloading the content, it is desirable to display a sample image or listen to the sample sound so that the content of the content can be introduced to some extent before the actual download.

When the software necessary for reproducing the sound or the image is not installed in the user computer 12, the reproduction software can be downloaded together with the content download.

When the content includes a ring melody (ringtone) or a standby image of a mobile phone, the content can be downloaded from the mobile phone.

As described above, the electronic magazine 14 is provided to the subscriber as digital data and stored in a personal computer or the like, and does not use paper. Therefore, the electronic magazine 14 can be easily stored and organized by the subscriber, and when it becomes unnecessary. Can be simply erased from the recording medium and does not need to be discarded like a normal publication.

On the other hand, the side that provides the electronic magazine 14 does not need to have a stock as a booklet, so that management is extremely easy. In particular, by storing back numbers as digital data, even old back numbers can be easily issued.

In addition, since time for printing and distribution is not required, the latest information can be promptly provided, and information accumulated in the server from the news gathering destination is updated by tie-up with the news gathering destination. By doing so, it is possible to semi-permanently provide the latest information that has been brushed up.

Further, unlike ordinary publications, since it is possible to edit even after publication, the latest information (for example, topics, local climate, clothes suited to the climate, etc.) can be displayed on the top page separately from the content. ) Can also provide useful information to readers in real time.

If the number of downloads for each content is recorded in the server 13,
You can count the genres that your readers are interested in and use it for marketing.

Next, as a second embodiment of the present invention,
An electronic magazine sold in the sales system 40 having the configuration shown in FIG. 3 will be described. This sales system 40
It is composed of a multimedia kiosk terminal 41, a server 42 storing various information, and a satellite 43 for transferring information between the server 42 and the multimedia kiosk terminal 41.

The multimedia kiosk terminal 41 is a device having a communication function with the satellite 43 and capable of receiving information distributed from the satellite 43, and is installed in, for example, a convenience store.

On the display screen of the multimedia kiosk terminal 41, contents stored in the server 42 and receivable via the satellite 43 can be displayed, and the user selects desired contents from the contents. Can be downloaded. The contents stored in the server 42 include music such as CDs and DVDs, and shopping malls where goods can be purchased by home delivery. These include the electronic magazine 14, and the electronic magazine 14 is selected on the display screen. Then, an image similar to the top page shown in FIG. 2 can be displayed.

Then, as in the first embodiment, when the user selects the desired content, the satellite 43
, The content can be downloaded to the multimedia kiosk terminal 41.

The contents of the downloaded contents can be recorded on various media, for example, a mini disk (MD), a memory card, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, or the like. The contents of the content recorded on the medium in this manner can be brought back and reproduced using a personal computer, an audio device, or the like. Therefore, the content can be stored according to the user's machine environment, and even a person who does not have a device having a communication function such as a personal computer can purchase the content.

When the content of the downloaded content is a character or a still image, the content can be printed on paper at the multimedia kiosk terminal 41.
Furthermore, when the mobile phone is connected to the mobile phone via an attached connection cable, ringtones and the like can be recorded on the mobile phone.

As described above, since the electronic magazine can be purchased not only from the computer owned by the user but also from any terminal such as a multimedia kiosk terminal that can be used by anyone, the market can be expanded. it can.

Next, as a third embodiment of the present invention,
An electronic magazine sold in the sales system 50 having the configuration shown in FIG. 4 will be described. This sales system 50
The system includes an Internet 11, a user computer 12 connectable to the Internet 11, and a server 51 accessible from the user computer 12 such as a personal computer (PC) via the Internet 11. The server 51 includes a plurality of electronic magazines. For example, electronic magazines 52, 53, and 54 are stored.

Each of the first electronic magazine 52, the second electronic magazine 53, and the third electronic magazine 54 stored in the server 51 has different contents. For example, as shown in FIG. The magazine 52 has contents 52a, 52
The electronic magazine 53 is composed of contents 53a, 53b, 53c, 53d, and 53e, and the electronic magazine 54 is composed of contents 54a, 54b, and 5e.
4c and 54d. Each content is the same as the content of an article constituting a magazine issued as a publication.

In the user computer 12, the Web
When a predetermined address of the server 51 is accessed using a browser, the titles of the electronic magazines 52, 53, and 54 stored in the server 51 are displayed on the top page. At this time, an explanation about the contents of the electronic magazine can be displayed together with the title.

When one electronic magazine is selected from the electronic magazines displayed on the top page, the contents constituting the selected electronic magazine are displayed. Then, the user looks at the content of the content, determines whether to purchase the content, and puts a mark in the check box of the content to be purchased.

Further, another electronic magazine is selected, and it is examined whether or not to purchase the electronic magazine by checking the contents of the contents, and a mark is put in a check box of the content to be purchased. When examining the content to be purchased, the above-described search function can be used.

When the content to be purchased is determined, only the designated content can be downloaded by clicking a purchase button on the screen.
In addition, since a fee is charged for each downloaded content, it is economical because it is cheaper than purchasing all the magazines as publications in which the content required by the user is published.

It should be noted that the server 51 can store magazines sold abroad which are only available in a limited number of bookstores in Japan. It becomes easy to obtain. For books sold only in foreign countries and not in Japan,
Internet 11 even if server 51 is outside the country
Since it can be downloaded in the same way as in Japan, there is no need for procedures such as importing, and it can be easily obtained at the same rate as in Japan.

Further, if back numbers are stored in the server 51, any desired contents can be downloaded at any time. In particular, if a search function is used, only necessary contents can be extracted from a large number of back issues, which is extremely convenient.

As described above, since only favorite contents can be downloaded from a plurality of electronic magazines, even if there are many magazines to be purchased, only contents worthy of purchase are selected from among them. And can be easily downloaded.

In the present embodiment, the case where a personal computer and a multimedia kiosk terminal are used as the user computer has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to these.
Various devices having a communication function such as a mobile terminal, a telephone having a screen display function, a facsimile, and a mobile phone can also be used.

[0067]

As described above, according to the electronic magazine and the method for selling the same according to the present invention, it is possible to purchase only desired contents according to the reader's preference. The cost can be reduced and it is economical. In particular, using the search function is convenient because the content to be purchased can be easily determined. In addition, foreign magazines can be obtained cheaply.

In addition, since the contents can include not only characters and still images but also moving images and sounds, the options for providing information are expanded.

Furthermore, the purchased content is composed of only digital data, does not require a storage space as in a normal publication, and can be easily managed and disposed.

On the other hand, since the contents consist only of digital data, the contents can be added or deleted freely, and maintenance is easy for both the information source and the creator of the electronic magazine. ,
Flexible response is possible. Also, since there is no need to have stock, management is extremely easy. This effect is particularly significant in the sale of back numbers.

Also, if an electronic magazine can be purchased using a terminal that can be used by anyone, such as a multimedia kiosk terminal, the user does not own a device having a communication function such as a personal computer. The market can be expanded because even a person can purchase.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a first example of a sales system for selling electronic magazines according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a top page of the electronic magazine.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a second example of a sales system for selling the electronic magazine.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a third example of a sales system for selling the electronic magazine.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing contents stored in a server in the third example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Sales system 11 ... Internet 12 ... User computer 13 ... Server 14 ... Electronic magazine 20 ... Top page 21-30 ... Content 40 ... Sales system 41 ... Multimedia kiosk terminal 42 ... Server 43 ... Satellite 50 ... Sales system 51 ... Server 52, 53, 54 ... E-magazine

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06F 17/30 170 G06F 17/30 170Z H04N 7/16 H04N 7/16 C 7/173 ZEC 7/173 ZEC 620 620D 640 640Z

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A server comprising a plurality of contents stored in a server as digital data, and among the plurality of contents, only contents designated by a user computer are transmitted from the server to the user computer via communication means. Electronic magazine that can. 2. The electronic magazine according to claim 1, wherein the content includes moving image or audio information. 3. A plurality of contents are stored in a server, and among the plurality of contents, only contents designated by a user computer accessing the server are transmitted to the user computer via communication means and transmitted to the user computer. An electronic magazine sales method that sells content. 4. A server stores a plurality of electronic magazines,
Of the contents constituting the plurality of electronic magazines, only the contents designated by the user computer accessing the server are transmitted to the user computer via the communication means to sell the contents. How to sell. 5. The electronic magazine selling method according to claim 3, wherein the user computer searches the server for content having the specified character or image, and sends the content specified by the search to the user computer. . 6. The electronic magazine selling method according to claim 3, wherein a fee is charged for each transmitted content. 7. The electronic magazine selling method according to claim 3, wherein the communication means is the Internet. 8. The electronic magazine according to claim 3, wherein the user computer is a multimedia kiosk terminal. 9. The method of selling electronic magazines according to claim 8, wherein in the multimedia kiosk terminal, the downloaded content can be recorded on an appropriate medium.