JP2002304534A - Charging system related with page image reading in internet terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely charge a user without imposing any troublesome operation on the user at the time of reading a page image. SOLUTION: In this device to be connected to the Internet so as to be used, the page image of a printed matter such as a newspaper and a magazine distributed from a server through the Internet, and outputted on a display is displayed with a limit, and when at least one operation to release the limit is performed by a user, a charging condition is fulfilled by the information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a charging system for browsing page images in an Internet terminal device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the case of distributing and charging page images of newspapers, magazines, and other printed materials on the Internet, conventionally, an identification number (hereinafter referred to as an ID), a password, and the like for each customer determined between an Internet provider and a user. To the user to specify the toll collection account, charge the toll collection account upon completion of file download, or use pre-encrypted page image data of printed materials such as newspapers, magazines, and books Is downloaded to the user's terminal device, the user inputs the ID and password for each customer determined between the Internet provider and the user, the user specifies the fee collection account, and the encrypted data is decrypted. Key to the relevant Internet terminal via the network and receive the key I have completed, how to charge the fee collection account has been taken.

[0003] The former problem is that the ID and the password are bothersome for the user to download each time, and once the download is completed, the copy is handed over to another person. This means that page images of newspapers, magazines, books, and the like can be browsed without paying a fee. It is also a problem that before downloading, the content cannot be known and the willingness to subscribe cannot be intrigued.

[0004] The latter problem is that the ID and the password are bothersome for the user to receive each time the key is received, and another person pays a fee by giving a copy of the decrypted data to another person. That is, it is possible to browse page images of newspapers, magazines, books, and the like without the need.
Also, before decryption, the content cannot be known and the willingness to subscribe is not intrigued.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its object is to provide a device which is connected to the Internet without forcing the user to perform cumbersome operations when browsing page images. That is, it is possible to perform reliable charging. Another object of the present invention is to display a limited number of page images to stimulate a willingness to subscribe.

[0006]

The above objects are achieved by a central processing unit for executing logical operations and numerical operations by programs, a storage device for storing data, and a display for displaying input contents and output contents. And display software for displaying images, a communication device for connecting to the Internet, and time measuring means. In a device used by connecting to the Internet, the device is distributed from the server via the Internet and output to the display. By means of displaying page image data of printed matter such as newspapers and magazines in a limited manner, and when the user performs one or more operations for releasing the limitation, the information satisfies the charging condition. Will be resolved.

In other words, the present invention restricts the display of page images to stimulate the willingness to subscribe, and the restrictive image display means that free browsing is allowed for a short time, or a page reduced in advance. Displaying an image, or permitting free viewing on a display that is difficult to read compared to a printed matter, and the like.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the present invention, a terminal device refers to a personal computer or a PDA (Pers) connected to the Internet.
means a device (A) including an online digital assistant, and a display is indispensable as a means for displaying a page image of a printed matter such as a newspaper, a magazine, or a book on this type of device (A) for browsing. It is. PDA includes US Robotics' Pal
Portable information terminals such as mPilot and Sharp Zaurus are also included, and other mobile phones, PHSs, and the like can also be used as terminal devices in the present invention. When the page image is displayed for a certain period of time or longer on the device (A) connected to the Internet by a user's instruction, or when the page image is displayed for a certain period of time by not giving an instruction to stop the display for a certain period of time, The information (B) is transmitted via the Internet to a server computer (E) that also collects charges connected to the Internet.

Alternatively, when a reduced image displayed on the device (A) connected to the Internet is enlarged and displayed as a result of the user specifying enlargement, the information (C) is transmitted via the Internet. Alternatively, means may be provided which is transmitted to a server computer (E) for counting charges connected to the Internet.

[0010] Alternatively, when printing is executed by a user's instruction using the device (A) connected to the Internet, or when printing is executed when the user does not give an instruction not to print, the information is displayed. (D) may be transmitted via the Internet to a server computer (E) for counting charges connected to the Internet.

More specifically, the present invention provides information (B) indicating that the device (A) connected to the Internet has displayed for a certain period of time or more, or information (C) indicating that a reduced image has been enlarged and displayed. Alternatively, when transmitting the information (D) indicating that the terminal device (A) has executed printing to the server computer (E) connected to the Internet and collecting the charges, the device (A) that transmitted the information. The server computer (E) that accumulates the fee for the IP address used in the Internet communication on the side records the record (F), and allocates the Internet connection service to the customer for each account (G) for which the provider collects the connection fee. List (H) in which the correspondence of the IP addresses is recorded, information (B) displayed by the device (A) for a certain period of time or more, or information indicating that the reduced image is enlarged. (C) Or, when transmitting information (D) indicating that printing has been performed to a server computer (E) for counting charges connected to the Internet, communication on the Internet of the device (A) that transmitted the information. By collating the record (F) of the IP address used in the above, the total number of pages displayed by the terminal device (A) for a certain period of time or the unit of the account (G) for collecting the connection fee, or
A means (I) for calculating the total number of pages for which a reduced image is displayed in an enlarged manner or a total number of pages for which printing has been performed, and an account based on a predetermined fee per page from the means (I). By means of calculating the fee to be deducted from (G), the page image can be browsed to some extent free of charge, and while incentive to browse, a fee is charged for really browsing, or a fee is charged for printing. In addition, it can be said that the invention is capable of charging the account for collecting the fee of the Internet connection company without opening a separate account for collecting the fee for this purpose.

When the user performs an operation to be charged when the device (A) is not connected to the Internet, the information (B), (C) and (D) are temporarily stored in the device (A). The present invention can be configured as an invention in which the charge is stored in (A) and transmitted to the server computer (E) for counting the charges for connection to the Internet when the connection to the Internet is made next time.

In any case, the present invention can be said to be a business model invention in which a fee is charged when browsing for a certain period of time or more, or when a reduced image is magnified and browsed, or when printing is executed. is there. Moreover,
As one means of realizing the method, the customer and the billing rate of the Internet are compared by comparing the list of the IP address and the billing rate obtained by communication between the customer of the Internet provider, the IP address assignment list, the viewer, and the server. The method of obtaining relationships is also a desirable system.

In the present invention, the billing target is a newspaper,
Since the data includes page image information of a printed material such as a magazine or a book, it is necessary that a printed material to be captured as image information exists as a prototype. In it,
Any one or two or more of the information on the free display time, the information on the boundary between the free display magnification and the paid display magnification, and the information on the information on the print area for which printing is charged are embedded.

The hardware elements required for the present invention include a central processing unit capable of executing a logical operation and a numerical operation by a program, a storage device for storing data, and a display device. Alternatively, an interface to which a display device can be connected, display software for displaying an image on the display device, or display software for displaying an image on a display device connected to the interface, and an electronic device capable of reading the time by a central processing unit. A clock or a time measuring means for causing a central processing unit to execute an interrupt process at regular intervals and counting the number of interrupts to measure a time interval, and a device for indicating a position on a screen of a display device (A) connected to the Internet having the following. Device (A) is a personal computer, PDA
Is as described above.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, a typical customer is
Connect to the Internet via the network of an Internet service provider. Further, an internet service provider connects to this internet backbone. Since all Internet service providers connect to this Internet backbone, a customer connecting to the Internet via the Internet service provider can communicate with another customer connecting to the Internet via another Internet service provider. The internet service provider has its own IP address assignment, and further divides the IP address and assigns it to its customers. All communications between customers are made by specifying this IP address. Therefore, the list (H) of the assignment of the IP address to the customer always exists.

It is assumed that data of page images such as newspapers and magazines has already been delivered to the device (A) connected to the network of the Internet connection company via the Internet or the like. Alternatively, it is assumed that data has been received in advance by a page-turning instruction prior to display at each instruction. Information (B) that the page image was displayed on the display device (display) for longer than the free display time included in the page image data, and the page image was included in the page image data on the display device (display) (C), information indicating that the image was displayed larger than the free display magnification, and information (D) indicating that the image was printed on the printing machine connected to the apparatus (A) irrespective of the pay print flag included in the page image data. Is transmitted to the server computer (E) for counting the charges by the Internet protocol. The server computer leaves a list (F) of time and information records. By comparing the list (F) with the list (H) possessed by the Internet connection company, the billing fee for each customer can be totaled and calculated.

In FIG. 1, viewer software that operates on a device (A) connected to the Internet and displays a page image of a printed material such as a newspaper, magazine, or book stores the time at which the page image is started to be displayed. For the data, read the free image display time recorded in the data containing the page image, add the free display time to the display start time, and calculate the time and the current time after the display starts. In comparison, if the current time is larger, it is determined that the free time has been exceeded, and the information is transmitted via the Internet to the server computer that accumulates charges by the IP protocol. The IP protocol includes
Since the IP address (source address) of the transmission source of the IP bucket is described, the server computer that aggregates the charges can know from which IP address the bucket has come. Here, a record of the time when the IP bucket arrives at the server (E) for collecting charges, the source address of the IP bucket, and the number of pages displayed over the free time are stored as a list.

On the other hand, when providing a connection service to a customer, an Internet connection company assigns a fixed global IP address or non-fixedly assigns a global address every time a connection is made. When assigning a fixed global IP address, an ID for identifying the customer,
A correspondence table of IP addresses is required, and in the case of non-fixed assignment, a time-series correspondence table of the global IP address and an ID for identifying a customer to whom the IP address is assigned is created.

Therefore, if there is a list of the server (E) for counting the charges and the correspondence table between the IP address of the Internet connection company and the ID for identifying the customer, the correspondence table between the ID for identifying the customer and the charge can be created. it can. If a list of direct debits is created according to this correspondence table, billing for each customer can be realized. Details of the embodiment so far are illustrated in FIG.

When the reduced image is displayed in an enlarged manner, the information is transmitted to the server for collecting the charges by the IP protocol, thereby realizing billing for each customer by using the same method as described above. Can be. The details of the embodiment in this case are illustrated in FIG.

When a page image is printed, the information is transmitted to the server for collecting the charges by the IP protocol, so that the billing for each customer can be realized by using the same method as described above. The details of the embodiment in this case are illustrated in FIG.

[0024]

The present invention is constructed and operates as described above. Therefore, when browsing a page image on a device connected to the Internet, the trouble of re-entering the ID and password every time of downloading as in the related art is eliminated. In addition, the billing can be reliably performed, and since the reduced page image is displayed in advance, the user can guess the contents of the page image from a large print that can identify the heading and the like, which in turn stimulates the willingness to subscribe. It is expected that the charging rate will increase.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a charging system for browsing page images in an Internet terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a first embodiment in which an image is displayed for a predetermined time or more.
5 is a flowchart showing the process.

FIG. 3 is a second embodiment in which an image is displayed at a certain magnification or higher.
5 is a flowchart showing the process.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a third embodiment when printing an image.

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor You Hasuike 3-20-6 Minami-Otsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo Inside Sapience Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takanori Kagawa 3--20-6 Minami-Otsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo Inside Sapiens Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 5B075 KK07 KK20 KK33 KK45 KK54 KK63 ND03 ND06 ND23 ND36 PQ02 PQ03 PQ48 PQ49 UU11 5B085 AA08 AC04 AC12 BA07 BC01 CA04 CA07 CE03

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A central processing unit for executing a logical operation and a numerical operation by a program, a storage device for storing data, a display for displaying input contents and output contents, and a display software for displaying an image. A device that has a communication device for connecting to the Internet and time measuring means, and that is used in a device connected to the Internet. A page image of a printed matter such as a newspaper or a magazine that is distributed from a server via the Internet and output to a display. A billing system for browsing page images in an Internet terminal device configured to display data in a limited manner and to perform a billing condition when a user performs one or more operations for releasing the limitation. 2. The Internet terminal according to claim 1, wherein the page image of a printed matter such as a newspaper or a magazine is freely viewed for a short time, and the restriction is released by displaying the page image for a predetermined time or more for free viewing. A billing system for viewing page images on the device. 3. Since a page image of a printed matter such as a newspaper or a magazine has a body text having a print size reduced to a fraction of the actual size, it cannot be read on a display as it is. 2. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein the restriction is released by displaying the reduced page image at a certain magnification or higher. 4. A page image of a printed matter such as a newspaper or a magazine is allowed to be viewed free of charge in a display that is difficult to read compared to the printed matter, and a printed image that is difficult to read compared to the printed matter is printed for free viewing. 2. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein the restriction is released by an operation.