JP2002312394A - Information delivery system, its method, information delivery management server, and processing program for it - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a delivery system capable of delivering only the information matching a taste of user. SOLUTION: This information delivery system available from an information terminal(T) 1 connected to an electronic magazine(Mg) via a public network(NW) 2 is provided with an information providing server(SV1) 8 connected to the NW and holding the Mg to be offered and an information distribution management server(SV2) 3 delivering and managing information of the Mg held in the SV1. The SV2 is provided with a database(DB) 7 collecting summary information about each article or production constituting the Mg, a personal information registration means 11 registering personal information including personal taste information, an extraction means 18 extracting the taste information from the personal information registered by the personal information registration means as to an individual, a summary information retrieval means 21 retrieving the summary information about the article or production constituting the Mg matching the individual from the extracted taste information and the DB, a transmission means 10 transmitting the retrieved summary information to the T of the user, and a means 111 collecting the article/production selected from the summary information in the T receiving the transmission from the Mg offered by the SV1 and reconstructing it into a new Mg to provide it to the T.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a personalized information distribution system and an information distribution system that enable a user to receive only information that matches his or her own preference by using a network such as the Internet. It is about the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, on the Internet, an information provider establishes a homepage using WWW (World Wide Web) technology and transmits information, and a user searches these homepages using a terminal. In many cases, information is provided by the Here, in general, the information providing service includes a pull service and a push service.

The pull type service is a service in which a user himself / herself selects and receives necessary information with a purpose. In this case, the user searched for the information provider and the information held in the server of the information provider using a keyword-based search technology to find necessary information, and found what seemed to be suitable for the purpose. Then, it is necessary to access the server of the information provider via the network and select only necessary items while checking the contents of the information.

[0004] On the other hand, the push-type service refers to a service mode in which the information provider automatically provides information estimated to be necessary by the user. This means that, if a rough classification of information required by the user is specified in advance, it corresponds to the specified classification item from the information stored in the information providing server when requested by the user. It is a service that selects and distributes things.

In such a service, the user stores information automatically distributed from the information providing server on a hard disk or the like. Since the information automatically distributed and stored does not always include only the information required by the user, it is necessary to select only information that matches the user's own preferences from among the information. is there.

For example, as a technique for searching only necessary information from accumulated information, there is a full-text search technique and the like, and a document can be searched based on words appearing in a text. .

[0007] As described above, the user can obtain information that suits his or her taste by using the technique of searching the entire sentence by the keyword or by confirming the entire contents of the information.

[0008]

The information providing service on the Internet includes a pull service and a push service. As described above, the pull service has only the information required by the user. You can put
In order to acquire the information desired by oneself, one has to search for one by one's own hand, and it takes time, and the search is necessary. Therefore, the quality of the search result depends on the search of the user. Is greatly influenced by the skill of the skill. That is, it depends on the skill of the user himself for searching.

In particular, when searching by keywords, it is necessary to select a keyword that matches the information to be obtained, and there is also a problem that many unnecessary information are often searched.

On the other hand, in the push type service, when a user specifies a classification item, information corresponding to the classification item can be automatically obtained.

[0011] However, since the range is too wide just by specifying the classification item, there is a high possibility that unnecessary information will be sent to the user. Therefore, it is necessary for the user to extract necessary information again from the information sent from the information provider side.

In particular, when the required information is image information such as electronic comics, the amount of information is large. Therefore, it is enormous labor and effort to extract only the information that suits the user's preference. This is a time-consuming operation.

[0013] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a technology for easily extracting information that suits the user's preference from the collected information.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a personalized information distribution system and an information distribution method capable of easily receiving information suitable for a user's preference.

[0015]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows. That is, at least one information providing server connected to a public network and holding at least one electronic magazine to be provided;
An information distribution management server for distributing and managing the information of the electronic magazine held by the information providing server is provided, and a service provided by the information distribution management server can be used by an information terminal connected via the public network. In the distribution system, the information distribution management server registers, in the information distribution server, an outline information database that collects outline information of each article or work constituting the electronic magazine and personal information including personal preference information. Personal information registration means, means for extracting personal preference information of the individual from the personal information registered in the personal information registration means, using the extracted preference information,
A summary information search means for searching for summary information of each article or work constituting an electronic magazine adapted to an individual by referring to the summary information database; and storing the summary information searched by the summary information search means in an information terminal of a user. Means for transmitting, among the electronic magazines provided by the information providing server, the relevant articles or works selected from the summary information in the information terminal that received the transmission are collected from the electronic magazine and reconfigured as an electronic magazine, Means for providing to the information terminal.

According to the present invention, when a user registers in a category information distribution management server corresponding to his / her own preference, the information distribution management server selects information of a work suitable for the user's preference from the electronic magazine information. Then, the work is created as summary information, and articles and works suitable for the taste of the person are distributed to the registered users in a compressed form. As a result, the user can easily select only articles and works that suit his / her taste from the provided summary information of the works. Then, articles and works selected by the user are collected from the electronic magazine, reconstructed in the form of the user's original electronic magazine, and distributed to the user.

Therefore, in the distribution of the electronic magazine information, the information distribution management server side provides the work information constituting the electronic magazine adapted to the user's preference in a simplified manner as the outline information. There is no need to extract information that matches the user's preference from the received information, and the burden on the user can be reduced and information can be efficiently provided. In addition, the user can obtain only information that matches his / her taste by simple selection.

[0018]

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

(First Embodiment) First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, a system will be described in which a user can automatically obtain a collection of only articles that match his or her preference from various electronic magazines distributed on the Internet. Note that, in the embodiments described below, the electronic magazine refers to weekly, monthly, book comics and contents obtained by converting a general weekly into electronic information, and the electronic work constitutes an electronic magazine. It is defined as what refers to each work or article that exists.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a personalized information providing service system according to the first embodiment. As shown in the figure, this system is a database for storing electronic work information. A certain electronic work information database 4, a user management database 5, which is a database for managing user information, a preference information database 6, which is a database of user preference information, and an overview in which electronic work summary information is accumulated and compiled into a database. Creation of information database 7, information distribution management server 3, and various electronic magazines
It comprises an information providing server 8 and an electronic magazine information database 9 that it has.

In this system, information distribution is managed via an information distribution management server 3 connected to the general public network 2, and information for the user is stored in a terminal 1 of the user connected to the general public network 2. Is distributed, and the user can browse and use the distributed information.

The terminal 1 is generally a personal computer, but may be a portable telephone having a browser and a function of accessing a Web on the Internet. The electronic work storage database 4 is a database that stores and stores electronic works such as works, articles, and the like that make up the electronic magazine.

Further, the user information management database 5 includes:
The preference information database 6 is a database for associating user information, and the preference information database 6 is a database holding information (preference information) of personal preferences of the user.
The electronic work summary information database 7 is a database that collects information indicating the outline of electronic work, that is, each work, each article, and the like constituting the electronic magazine.

The information distribution management server 3 is a server for managing information distribution to users, and the electronic magazine information databases 9a, 9b,... 9n create various electronic magazines (magazines converted into electronic files). A stored database, the information providing servers 8a and 8
.., 8n are servers that take out information (various electronic magazines) from the electronic magazine information database 9 according to the request and distribute it to the request source. Information providing server 8a,
.. 8n are servers installed by each information provider (eg, a provider or organization that provides content).

The information distribution management server 3 manages information distribution to users, and the electronic magazine information database 9 is under the management of the information providing server 8. The information providing server 8 can extract necessary information (various electronic magazines) from the electronic magazine information database 9 and distribute it to the request source (the information distribution management server 3) according to the request issued.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a specific system configuration of the information distribution management server 3, FIG. 3 shows a processing flow of FIG. 3, and a user information management database 29, a user preference information database 36, an electronic work The summary information database 41 is shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, a large number of information providing servers 8 are provided.
From 8a, 8b,... 8n, the details of the electronic work suited to the user's preference, that is, the information distribution management server 3, which is a server having a function of collecting and distributing articles to the user, will be described with reference to FIG. explain.

As shown in FIG. 2, the information distribution management server 3
Are provided by a user management database 4 in which user management information is compiled into a database, a preference information database 6 in which user preference information is collected and compiled into a database, and a large number of information providing servers 8a, 8b,. It has a summary information database 7 that collects and summarizes the contents of each electronic work in the electronic magazine, and an electronic work information database 4 that collects and organizes electronic work information.

Further, the information distribution management server 3 includes a transmitting / receiving means 10 for transmitting and receiving to and from the information providing server 8 (8a, 8b,... 8n) and the information terminal 1, and a transmission from the information terminal 1. Information registration means 11 for registering user information to be registered, user authentication means 12 for authenticating a user, and user preference information for searching for preference information from the preference information database 6 based on user information. Search means 18, user preference information storage means 19 for storing the retrieved preference information, and electronic work summary information adapted to the user's preference from a summary information database 7 in which the preference information and electronic work summary information are stored in a database. Electronic work outline information search means 21 for searching, and electronic work outline information storage means 22 for storing the searched electronic work outline information
Electronic work information searching means 24 for searching the electronic work information database 4 for electronic work information selected by the user; electronic work information storage means 25 for storing information of the searched electronic work; An electronic magazine creating unit 111 that creates an electronic magazine from a plurality of pieces of electronic work information stored in the storage unit 25.

The user authentication means 12 stores a user ID transmitted from the information terminal 1 and stores the user ID.
D storage means 13 and a user ID search means 14 for searching the user management database 4 from the user ID information stored in the user ID storage means 13 and searching for a user ID.
User ID collating means 16 for collating the transmitted user ID with the ID retrieved by the user ID retrieving means 14, and user determining means for recognizing the collation result of the user ID collating means 16. 15.

Next, details of services provided by the present system having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, a user who intends to use the service provided by the present system operates his / her own information terminal 1 to connect to the information distribution management server 3 and transmits the user information to the information distribution management server 3 from the information terminal 1. Register. This registration is performed as follows. First, when the user inputs and registers his / her name 31, age 32, gender 33, address 34, and password 30 from the information terminal 1, the information is entered into the network 2. To the information distribution management server 3 via Then, in the information distribution management server 3, these are received by the transmission / reception means 10. Then, the user information registration means 11 receives this and issues a user ID unique to the user and transmits it to the information terminal 1 of the user. As a result, the user receives a unique user ID required for using the system. In the information distribution management server 3, the issued "password" 30, the "user ID" 29, the "name" 31, and the "age" received from the user side.
A user management database 4 having the contents as shown in FIG.

The registration has been completed, and the user can use the information distribution management server 3 for distributing an electronic magazine that has collected his favorite electronic work. The procedure for using the distribution service is as follows. First, the user inputs a "user name", a "user ID", and a "password" on the information terminal 1 (step S1 in FIG. 4).

The information terminal 1 transmits the inputted information of the "user name", "user ID" and "password" to the information distribution management server 3 via the network 2 (step S2 in FIG. 4).

The information distribution management server 3 transmits these
The receiving means 10 receives the information (step S21 in FIG. 4), searches the user management database 7 for the received "user name", "user ID", and "password" (step S22 in FIG. 4). The user authentication process is executed by matching the "user ID" and "password" (step S23 in FIG. 4).

The information distribution management server 3 transmits the authentication result to the user's information terminal 1 (step S24 in FIG. 4), and if the information terminal 1 receives the authentication result (steps S3 and S4 in FIG. 4), A command requesting the latest electronic work information is transmitted (step S5 in FIG. 4).

On the other hand, the information terminal 1 receives the authentication result and confirms it. If the result is not accepted (steps S3 and S4 in FIG. 4), the "user name" and "user I"
D ”and“ Password ”to enter the information transmission management server 3
(Steps S1 and S2 in FIG. 4).

The information distribution management server 3 receives these (step S21 in FIG. 4), and receives the "user name"
The “user ID” and “password” are searched from the user management database 7 (step S22 in FIG. 4), and the user is authenticated by matching the “user ID” and “password” (step in FIG. 4). S23).

The information distribution management server 3 transmits the authentication result to the information terminal 1 of the user (step S24 in FIG. 4), and if the authentication result is received by the information terminal 1 (step S24 in FIG. 4).
3, S4), and transmits a command requesting the latest electronic work information (step S5 in FIG. 4).

The transmitting / receiving means 10 having received the request command from the information terminal 1 passes this to the user preference information searching means 18 of the information distribution management server 3. The user preference information search means 18 searches the preference information database 6 for user preference items based on the "user ID" received from the information terminal 1 (steps S25 and S26 in FIG. 4).

This preference information database 6 is a database of registered user preference items, and the preference items include “user I” as shown in FIG.
D ”36, the“ category ”37 that the user prefers,
The “electronic work title” 38 preferred by the user and the “author name” 39 preferred by the user.

Items retrieved by the user preference information retrieval means 18 (“category” preferred by the user, “electronic work title” preferred by the user, “author name” preferred by the user) are user preference information. It is stored in the storage means 19.

Next, the electronic work outline information search means 21 in the information distribution management server 3 stores the items (“category” preferred by the user, “electronic preferred” by the user) stored in the user preference information storage means 19. The outline information of the electronic work corresponding to the "work title" and the "author name" preferred by the user) is retrieved from the outline information database 7 (step S27 in FIG. 4). Then, the electronic work information storage means 22
And transmits the summary information to the information terminal 1 of the user (step S28 in FIG. 4).

In parallel with this transmission, the electronic work information search means 24 accesses the information providing server via the network 2 based on the "information providing server management information" 47 of the summary information database 7, and All the electronic work information is downloaded and stored in the electronic work information database 4 (step S29 in FIG. 4).

FIG. 6 shows a configuration of a summary information database 7 in which summary information of an electronic work is collected and made into a database. The items of the summary information database 7 include “category” 41, “title” 42, “title page” 4
4. “Pointer information to the electronic work information database”
45, “Latest update time information of electronic work information” 46,
It is composed of “information providing server management information” 47.

On the other hand, the information terminal 1 receives a plurality of electronic work outline information transmitted from the information distribution management server 3 (step S6 in FIG. 4), and transfers the information to the information terminal 1.
The information is displayed on the display of the information terminal 1 by the built-in browser 28 (step S7 in FIG. 4).

The user selects desired electronic work information from the list of electronic work outline information displayed by the browser 28, and also selects a receiving method thereof (FIG. 4).
Steps S8 and S9).

There are two selectable receiving methods, "download" and "download and watch online". Either of these methods can be selected. The information terminal 1 transmits the electronic work outline information and the receiving method selected by the user to the information distribution management server 3 (step S10 in FIG. 4).

In the information distribution management server 3 which has received these information from the information terminal 1, the information providing server 8
From the electronic work information downloaded from (8a, 8b, to 8n) and stored in the electronic work information database 4, the electronic magazine creating unit 111 performs the necessary operations based on the storage contents of the electronic work information storage unit 25. The electronic work information is searched and created as a new electronic magazine, and the created electronic magazine is delivered from the transmission / reception means 10 via the network 2 in accordance with the selective reception method requested from the information terminal 1 (FIG. 4). Steps S30, S31,
S32).

The information terminal 1 receives the electronic magazine information transmitted in accordance with the selective reception method, and transmits it to the information terminal 1.
The data is stored in an attached large-capacity storage device such as a built-in HDD (hard disk) or stored while being displayed on a display (steps S11 and S12 in FIG. 4).

The above describes a user management database for managing user information, a preference information database for registering preference items (titles, authors, categories, etc.) desired by the user, and various information providing servers. Using an outline information database that stores the outline of the electronic work and an electronic work information database that stores the electronic work information, user preference information data is registered in advance, and when there is a distribution request from the user, In addition, the information matching the user's preference items is searched from the summary information database and distributed to the user, and the corresponding information is downloaded from the information providing server and stored in the electronic work information database. When a desired one is selected from the distributed summary information, it is extracted from the electronic work information database information providing server. In which was to be delivered to the user generates a new e-magazine by those of the extracted electronic work. Therefore, when a distribution request is received, information matching the user's preference items is retrieved from the summary information and presented to the user, and the user can select a favorite one by referring to the summary information. Can reliably obtain only necessary information. In addition, by selecting a favorite one, it is distributed as an electronic magazine with only the selected electronic work. Therefore, when an electronic work is to be acquired, the user's preference can be selected from among many electronic magazines in various information databases. It is possible to receive the distribution of the original electronic magazine only by the electronic work conforming to the above, and it is possible to browse only the interesting ones by removing unnecessary ones from the beginning. The above is
It is possible to collect only electronic work suited to each user's personal preference and provide it to the user, but new electronic magazines are issued one after another. Therefore, in the case of a user who subscribes to the electronic magazine on a regular basis, the value is diminished unless the latest electronic work suitable for the user's preference is provided. Therefore, an example of the construction of a system capable of coping with such a case will be described below.

(Second Embodiment) Next, an embodiment of an information distribution management server according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, a description will be given focusing on a main part of a mechanism that allows a user to receive the latest electronic work that is adapted to his / her own preference. However, basically, the configuration of the first embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. They are used in combination.

An example of the main system configuration of the information distribution management server in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in the figure, the information delivery management server 3A according to the second embodiment is provided with a category-keyword relation table 59 in which the relation between “category” and “keyword” is defined in advance. Also, the information providing server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8
In n), in addition to the distribution of the electronic magazine, it is assumed that the table of contents information of the electronic magazine can be distributed.

The information distribution management server 3A has transmission / reception means 10 for transmitting / receiving data to / from the information providing server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8n) and the information terminal 1. Reference numeral 10 includes a transmission unit 49 that is a transmission processing function unit and a reception unit 50 that is a reception processing function unit. Further, a control unit 52 for performing time management, an electronic magazine table of contents information requesting unit 51 for requesting the electronic magazine table of contents information to the information providing server 8 according to an instruction from the control unit 52, and an information providing server 8 (8a, 8b,. 8n)
An electronic magazine index information registering unit 53 for registering the electronic magazine index information received from the electronic magazine index information storing unit 54 for storing the received index information, and a first page of each electronic work is extracted and stored from the index information. Electronic work top page storing means 55, an information providing server identifying means 56 for specifying a server which has provided the table of contents information, and a keyword extracting means 57 for extracting a keyword for determining a category from the title of the electronic magazine table of contents information
And a category discriminating means 58 for determining a "category" from the extracted "keywords" using a category keyword relation table 59 which defines the relation between "categories" and "keywords". Storage means 60 for storing “categories” and summary information database 7A for registering “categories”, “table of contents information”, “top page information”, and “information providing server identification information”
It is composed of

Here, the electronic magazine table-of-contents information is defined to indicate "title", "author name", "first page", and "update flag information" of the electronic work constituting the electronic magazine.

Next, the information distribution management server 3A having the above configuration
The operation of the present system including the above will be described with reference to the processing flow of FIG. When this embodiment is applied, when each information providing server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8n) receives a request for electronic magazine table of contents information from the information distribution management server 3A, each of the storage databases 9 (8a, 8b, to 8n) has its own storage database 9 ( 9a, 9
b, .about.9n) to retrieve the latest electronic magazine information, and if there is such information, the "table of contents information" and the "first page information" of each electronic work are detected, and the detected information is identified by itself. A function of transmitting the information to the information distribution management server 3A together with the information is provided.

In the information distribution management server 3A, the control unit 5
Electronic magazine contents information requesting means 5 under the control of the electronic magazine 2
1 sends a request for electronic magazine contents information at regular intervals to each of the information providing servers 8 (8a, 8b, to 8) on the network 2.
n) (step S41).

Each of the information providing servers 8 (8a, 8b,...) Receiving the request transmitted from the information distribution management server 3A.
8n), their own accumulated database 9
The latest electronic magazine information is searched from (9a, 9b, to 9n), and if there is applicable information, the "table of contents information" and the "first page information" of each electronic work are detected (steps S51 and S52). Then, the information management server 8 (8a,
8b, to 8n) transmit the detected information to the information distribution management server 3A (step S53). At this time, the information providing server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8n) also transmits its own identification information (step S54).

In the information distribution management server 3A, this information is received by the transmission / reception means 10 (steps S42 and S42).
43). Then, the received information is passed to the electronic magazine table of contents information registration means 53. The electronic magazine table of contents information registering means 53 stores the "table of contents information" in the electronic magazine table of contents information storing means 54, and stores the "first page information" of each electronic work in the electronic work title page storing means 55. The identification information of the information providing server is passed to the information providing server identifying means 56 for identification.

Next, the electronic magazine table of contents information registration means 53 cuts out the "title character" and the "author name" from the "table of contents information" of the electronic magazine stored in the electronic magazine table of contents information storage means 54. This cutout uses, for example, an existing technology. For example, as the clipping technique, “Akiyama, Masuda: Area division of document image using peripheral distribution, line density, and circumscribed rectangle feature together” IEICE Transactions (D), Vo1. J69, no. 8, 1986]. The character information of the extracted “title character” is encoded.

The keyword extraction means 57 extracts a noun portion from the cut-out coded title character,
“Keyword information” is set (step S44). Using the "keyword information" obtained in this way as a key, the category determining means 58 determines the category of the electronic work by referring to the category-keyword association table 59 (step S45). Then, the determined category is stored in the category storage means 60.

Next, the electronic magazine table of contents information registration means 53 in the information distribution management server 3A executes the “title”, “author name”,
The “category”, “top page information”, and “identification information” of the providing server are stored in the summary information database 61 (step S46).

Then, if there is a request from the user via the information terminal 1 owned by the user, the "user ID" of the user and the user preference information database 23 (see FIG. 2) are referred to. Using the category information of the user retrieved from the "user preference information" obtained by the user preference information retrieval means 18 (see FIG. 2), the user preference information is selected from the summary information database 7A. "title",
Using electronic work information such as "author name", "category", and "first page information" and "identification information" of the providing server, the user requests the corresponding information providing server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8n). The electronic work information is sent (a download request is sent), and the information providing server 8 (8a, 8b,.
8n) selects the relevant electronic work in accordance with the electronic work information and transmits it to the information distribution management server 3A. In the information distribution management server 3A, the electronic magazine creating means 111 (see FIG. 2) receiving the information creates a new electronic magazine using this electronic work and distributes it to the user.

Specifically, the procedure may be the same as the procedure after step S28 in FIG. 4 in the first embodiment. That is, the electronic work summary information search means 21 in the information distribution management server 3 searches for items (“category” preferred by the user, electronic work “title” preferred by the user, The summary information of the electronic work corresponding to the "author name" preferred by the user) is searched from the summary information database 7A (step S27 in FIG. 4).
Then, the information is stored in the electronic work information storage means 22, and the outline information is transmitted to the information terminal 1 of the user (step S28 in FIG. 4).

In parallel with this transmission, the electronic work information searching means 24 accesses the information providing server via the network 2 based on the “information providing server management information” 47 of the summary information database 7 and All the electronic work information is downloaded and stored in the electronic work information database 4 (step S29 in FIG. 4).

On the other hand, the information terminal 1 receives a plurality of electronic work outline information transmitted from the information distribution management server 3 (step S6 in FIG. 4), and transmits the information to the information terminal 1.
The information is displayed on the display of the information terminal 1 by the built-in browser 28 (step S7 in FIG. 4).

The user selects desired electronic work information from the list of electronic work outline information displayed by the browser 28, and also selects a receiving method thereof (FIG. 4).
Steps S8 and S9).

As the selectable receiving method, there are two methods of “download” and “watch online while downloading”, and either of these methods can be selected. The information terminal 1 transmits the electronic work outline information and the receiving method selected by the user to the information distribution management server 3 (step S10 in FIG. 4).

In the information distribution management server 3 which has received these information from the information terminal 1, the information providing server 8
From the electronic work information downloaded from (8a, 8b, to 8n) and stored in the electronic work information database 4, the electronic magazine creating unit 111 performs the necessary operations based on the storage contents of the electronic work information storage unit 25. The electronic work information is searched and created as a new electronic magazine, and the created electronic magazine is delivered from the transmission / reception means 10 via the network 2 in accordance with the selective reception method requested from the information terminal 1 (FIG. 4). Steps S30, S31,
S32).

The information terminal 1 receives the electronic magazine information transmitted in accordance with the selective receiving method, and transmits it to the information terminal 1.
The data is stored in an attached large-capacity storage device such as a built-in HDD (hard disk) or stored while being displayed on a display (steps S11 and S12 in FIG. 4).

This system uses each information providing server 8 (8
a, 8b, to 8n), when receiving a request for electronic magazine table of contents information from the information distribution management server 3A, searches the storage databases 9 (9a, 9b, to 9n) of the own for the latest electronic magazine information, If there is applicable information, a function of detecting the "table of contents information" and the "first page information" of each electronic work and transmitting the detected information to the information distribution management server 3A together with its own identification information is provided. The information distribution management server 3A issues a request for the information table information of the electronic magazine to each information providing server at regular intervals,
"Contents information" of the electronic magazine currently held by each information providing server and "First page information" of the electronic work periodically
And "identification information" of the providing server, and further, "title" and "author name" are extracted from the electronic magazine table-of-contents information, and a keyword is extracted from "title" to obtain a "category". , And the acquired "Title", "Author", "Category", "First page information", and "Identification information" of the providing server are stored in the summary information database. When there is the information providing server 8 (8a) selected for the user from the summary information database using the category information searched from the "user preference information" obtained by referring to the user preference information database. , 8b, to 8n), the electronic work information requested by the user is sent to be downloaded, so that the contents of the electronic magazine, whose contents are updated one after another, can be changed according to the user's preference. Match electronic work only, moreover, from the fact that to collect about the latest electronic work to create a new electronic magazine, it was to be delivered to the user,
It is possible to provide a system that can be distributed as an electronic magazine that collects only the latest ones that have contents that match the user's preference.

As described above, it is possible to collect only electronic work suited to each user's individual preference and to provide the user with the electronic work. In addition, since new electronic magazines are issued one after another, the electronic magazine can be adapted to the user's own preference. Although it is possible to build a system that can receive the latest electronic work that is compatible, the information distribution management server periodically collects the latest electronic work. It is intended to request the information providing server to provide information. In this case, the information distribution management server may be overloaded, and an example that can improve this will be described below.

(Third Embodiment) Next, an embodiment of the information distribution management server 3B will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, a description will be given mainly of a main part of a mechanism that allows a user to receive the latest electronic work adapted to his / her own preference. However, basically, at least the configuration of the first embodiment is described. It is used in combination with.

FIG. 9 shows a system configuration including the information distribution management server 3B. The information distribution management server 3B has transmission / reception means 10 for transmitting / receiving data to / from the information providing server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8n) and the information terminal 1. The transmission / reception means 10 has a transmission processing function. Transmission means 49 as a part and reception means 50 as a reception processing function part
It is composed of

The information distribution management server 3B is connected to the information providing server 8 (8a, 8b,.
8n) Update information detection means 65 for detecting update information of the electronic magazine information sent from 8n), and information provision for identifying an information providing server transmitted together with the update information detected by the update information detection means 65 Server identification means 6
6, electronic magazine index information requesting means 68 for requesting download of the latest electronic magazine index information from the information providing server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8n) based on this information, and control means for controlling these means 52
Electronic magazine table of contents information storage means 69 for storing downloaded electronic magazine table of contents information, "update time information" included in the update flag information of the table of contents information, and "update time information" stored in the summary information database 7B. And update flag information determining means 112 for determining the electronic work being updated from, and extracting the first page information of each updated electronic work from the stored electronic magazine table of contents information,
The electronic work top page storage means 70 for storing, and the “title” of the electronic work whose electronic magazine table of contents information has been updated
Extracting means 57 for extracting a "keyword" from a keyword
B and a category-keyword association table 59 prepared in advance, and a category discriminating means 58 for discriminating a "category" from the keyword extracted by the keyword extracting means 57B.
And the “category” determined by the category determining means 58
Category storage means 60 for storing “table of contents information”,
It is composed of a summary information database 7B that stores “top page information”, “category”, and “information providing server identification information”.

In the information providing server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8n) used in the present embodiment, the latest magazine information or the latest electronic work information is registered in the self-attached database 9 (9a, 9b, to 9n). Then, a function of transmitting the updated information to the information distribution management server 3B via the public network 2 is provided.

Next, a processing flow of the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, the information providing server 8 (8
a, 8b, to 8n), a self-attached database 9
When the latest magazine information or electronic work information is registered in (9a, 9b, to 9n), the update information is transmitted to the information distribution management server 3B via the public network 2 (step S71).

The information distribution management server 3B transmits update information from the information providing server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8n).
When the receiving means 10 receives the information, the information providing server identifying means 6
6 is an information providing server 8 transmitted from the update information.
(8a, 8b, to 8n), and the electronic magazine table-of-contents information requesting unit 68 sends “electronic magazine table-of-contents information” to the identified information providing server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8n). Is transmitted (steps S61, S62, S63).

The information providing server 8 (8 a, 8 b, to 8 b) receiving the transmission request from the information distribution management server 3 B
n) is its own database 9 (9a, 9b, to 9)
n), the "contents information" of the latest electronic magazine information and the "first page information" of the electronic work are retrieved and transmitted to the information distribution management server 3B (steps S71, S72).

In the information distribution management server 3B, this is received by the transmission / reception means 10. Then, the “electronic magazine table of contents information” is stored in the electronic magazine table of contents information storage means 69,
The electronic work "first page information" is stored in the electronic work first page storage means 70 (step S64).

Next, the update flag information determining means 112
The "update flag information" of the table of contents information of the electronic magazine is extracted, and from the extracted flag information, the updated electronic work is known and extracted (steps S65 and S6).
6).

When the updated electronic work is extracted in this manner, the keyword extracting means 57B extracts the keyword information from the title of the extracted updated electronic work (step S67). Further, the category determining means 58 determines the "category" of the electronic work from the keyword information extracted by the keyword extracting means 57B by using the category-keyword relation table 59 (step S68).

According to the determined “category”, the table of contents information “title”, “author name”, “top page information”, “identification information” of the information providing server, and “update” based on the update flag information are stored in the summary information database 7B. The time information "is accumulated (step S69).

As described above, in order to collect the latest electronic work, the information distribution management server does not periodically request the information provision server to provide information, but the information provision server does. When the electronic work has been updated, the information distribution management server voluntarily notifies the information distribution management server of the update and requests the information distribution management server to download the latest information based on the information. A system that can reduce the load on updating information can be constructed.

Then, if there is a request from the user via the information terminal 1 owned by the user, the "user ID" of the user and the user preference information database 23 (see FIG. 2) are referred to. Using the category information of the user retrieved from the "user preference information" obtained by the user preference information retrieval means 18 (see FIG. 2), the user preference information is selected from the summary information database 7A. "title",
Using electronic work information such as "author name", "category", and "first page information" and "identification information" of the providing server, the user requests the corresponding information providing server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8n). The electronic work information is sent (a download request is sent), and the information providing server 8 (8a, 8b,.
8n) selects the relevant electronic work in accordance with the electronic work information and transmits it to the information distribution management server 3A. In the information distribution management server 3A, the electronic magazine creating means 111 (see FIG. 2) receiving the information creates a new electronic magazine using this electronic work and distributes it to the user.

Specifically, the procedure may be the same as the procedure after step S28 in FIG. 4 in the first embodiment. That is, the electronic work summary information search means 21 in the information distribution management server 3 searches for items (“category” preferred by the user, electronic work “title” preferred by the user, The summary information of the electronic work corresponding to the "author name" preferred by the user) is searched from the summary information database 7A (step S27 in FIG. 4).
Then, the information is stored in the electronic work information storage means 22, and the outline information is transmitted to the information terminal 1 of the user (step S28 in FIG. 4).

In parallel with this transmission, the electronic work information searching means 24 accesses the information providing server via the network 2 based on the “information providing server management information” 47 of the summary information database 7 and All the electronic work information is downloaded and stored in the electronic work information database 4 (step S29 in FIG. 4).

On the other hand, the information terminal 1 receives a plurality of electronic work outline information transmitted from the information distribution management server 3 (step S6 in FIG. 4), and transfers the information to the information terminal 1.
The information is displayed on the display of the information terminal 1 by the built-in browser 28 (step S7 in FIG. 4).

The user selects desired electronic work information from the list of electronic work outline information displayed on the browser 28, and also selects a receiving method thereof (FIG. 4).
Steps S8 and S9).

There are two types of reception methods that can be selected: “download” and “watch online while downloading”. Either of these methods can be selected. The information terminal 1 transmits the electronic work outline information and the receiving method selected by the user to the information distribution management server 3 (step S10 in FIG. 4).

The information distribution management server 3 receiving these information from the information terminal 1 prepares the information providing server 8 in advance.
From the electronic work information downloaded from (8a, 8b, to 8n) and stored in the electronic work information database 4, the electronic magazine creating unit 111 performs the necessary operations based on the storage contents of the electronic work information storage unit 25. The electronic work information is searched and created as a new electronic magazine, and the created electronic magazine is delivered from the transmission / reception means 10 via the network 2 in accordance with the selective reception method requested from the information terminal 1 (FIG. 4). Steps S30, S31,
S32).

The information terminal 1 receives the electronic magazine information transmitted according to the selective receiving method, and
The data is stored in an attached large-capacity storage device such as a built-in HDD (hard disk) or stored while being displayed on a display (steps S11 and S12 in FIG. 4).

In the above description, the information providing server monitors itself and sends update information, if any, to the information distribution management server. Based on the information, the information distribution management server collects electronic work based on the update information. It was, but
When there is updated information, the information providing server sends the updated electronic work, including the updated electronic work, to the information distribution management server, and the information distribution management server can store the latest electronic work at any time and distribute it to the user. You can also do so.

In this case, it is possible to construct a system that can enjoy the merit of eliminating extra labor, and an example thereof will be described next as a fourth embodiment.

(Fourth Embodiment) Next, an embodiment of the information distribution management server will be described with reference to FIGS.

In this embodiment, the main part of the mechanism that allows the user to receive the latest electronic work that is adapted to his / her own preference will be mainly described. It is used in combination with the configuration of the example.

In the present embodiment, the information providing server 8 (8a, 8a,
8b, .about.8n), the latest electronic magazine information is periodically searched from the self-supplied database 9 (9a, 9b, .about.9n). If there is the latest information, the latest "electronic magazine update information" And a function of transmitting the latest “electronic magazine information” to the information distribution management server 3C.

FIG. 11 shows the configuration of the information distribution management server 3C. The information distribution management server 3C includes transmission / reception means 10 for transmitting and receiving information to and from the information providing server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8n). Provision server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8
Update information storage means 78 for storing the electronic magazine update information from n), information provision server identification means 56 for identifying an information provision server from the update information stored in the update information storage means 78, and control for controlling these. Means 52, electronic magazine information storage means 82 for further storing electronic magazine information, electronic magazine database 83 for converting this information into a database, and table of contents information extracting means 84 for extracting table of contents information from electronic magazine information; A keyword extracting means 57C for extracting keyword information from the electronic work title of the information, the aforementioned category-keyword table 59 prepared in advance,
Using keyword table 56, keyword extracting means 5
7C, a category discriminating means 58 for discriminating a category corresponding to the extracted keyword information, a category storing means 60 for storing the "category" discriminated by the category discriminating means 58, and an electronic magazine information and table of contents information. The electronic work first page extracting means 89 for extracting the first page information of the work, the electronic work first page storage means 90 for storing the extracted first page, and the outline information database 7C for storing the outline information.

Next, the processing in the distribution management server 3C for distributing and managing the electronic magazine information will be described with reference to the processing flow of FIG. First, the information providing server 8 (8
a, 8b,... 8n), the latest electronic magazine information is periodically stored in a database 9 (9a, 9b,.
n) (step S90), and if there is the latest information, the latest "electronic magazine update information" and the latest "electronic magazine information" are transmitted to the information distribution management server 3C (step S91).

In the information distribution management server 3C, the electronic magazine update information and the electronic magazine information transmitted from the information providing server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8n) are received by the transmission / reception means 10 and are stored in the update information storage. It is stored in the means 78 (step S81). Among them, the electronic magazine information is stored in the electronic magazine storage means 82, and the electronic magazine database 83 is further stored in the electronic magazine storage means 82.
And stored in a database (step S8).
3).

Next, the information providing server identification means 56 uses the electronic magazine update information stored in the update information storage means 78 to send the electronic magazine information to the information providing server 8 (8
a, 8b, to 8n) are identified (step S82). Then, it is stored in the information providing server identifier storage means 81.

Next, the index information extracting means 84 extracts the “title” and “author name” of the electronic work from the electronic magazine index information stored in the electronic magazine storage means 82, and the keyword extracting means 57 C “Keyword information” is extracted from the “title” extracted by the information extracting means 84 (steps S85 and S86).

The category discriminating means 58 includes the keyword information extracted by the keyword extracting means 57C and the above-described category-keyword relation table 59 prepared in advance.
, The "category" of the "title" of each electronic work is determined (step S87). Next, the first page information of the electronic work is extracted from the electronic magazine information by using the first page number of each electronic work in the electronic magazine table of contents information (step S88). Then, this is stored in the category storage means 60.
To memorize.

Next, the “category”, “title”, “author name”, “first page information” of the electronic work extracted in this way, and “identification information” of the information providing server are registered in the summary information database 27C. To create a database (step S89).

In the above, the information providing server monitors itself, and if there is an update in the electronic work, the information providing server sends the updated electronic work to the information delivery management server, including the updated electronic work. Since the server can store the latest electronic work at any time and distribute it to the user, it is possible to construct a system that can enjoy the advantage of eliminating the extra labor in collecting and distributing the latest information.

If there is a request from the user through the information terminal 1 of the user, the user refers to the "user ID" of the user and the user preference information database 23 (see FIG. 2). Using the category information of the user retrieved from the "user preference information" obtained by the user preference information retrieval means 18 (see FIG. 2), the user preference information is selected from the summary information database 7C. "title",
Using electronic work information such as “author name”, “category”, and “first page information” and “identification information” of the providing server, the electronic magazine database 83 uses the corresponding information providing server 8 (8a, 8b, to 8n). The corresponding electronic work to be provided is extracted. Then, the electronic magazine creating means 11
1 and the electronic magazine creating means 111 receiving the
In FIG. 2, an electronic magazine is newly created using this electronic work. Then, the created electronic magazine is distributed to the user.

Specifically, the procedure may be the same as the procedure after step S28 in FIG. 4 in the first embodiment. That is, the electronic work summary information search means 21 in the information distribution management server 3 searches for items (“category” preferred by the user, electronic work “title” preferred by the user, The summary information of the electronic work corresponding to the "author name" preferred by the user) is searched from the summary information database 7C (step S27 in FIG. 4).
Then, the information is stored in the electronic work information storage means 22, and the outline information is transmitted to the information terminal 1 of the user (step S28 in FIG. 4).

In the above embodiment, in parallel with this transmission, the electronic work information retrieving means 24 sends the information to the information providing server via the network 2 based on the “information providing server management information” 47 of the summary information database 7. The electronic work information database 4 is accessed and downloaded, and all the specified electronic work information is downloaded and stored in the electronic work information database 4.
Here, each information providing server 8 (8a, 8
Since the electronic magazine having the latest electronic work information of b, .about.8n) is stored, the processing in step S29 in FIG. 4 is not performed.

On the other hand, the information terminal 1 receives a plurality of electronic work outline information transmitted from the information distribution management server 3 (step S6 in FIG. 4), and transfers the information to the information terminal 1.
The information is displayed on the display of the information terminal 1 by the built-in browser 28 (step S7 in FIG. 4).

The user selects desired electronic work information from the list of electronic work outline information displayed on the browser 28, and also selects a receiving method thereof (FIG. 4).
Steps S8 and S9).

There are two receiving methods that can be selected: “download” and “watch online while downloading”. Either of these methods can be selected. The information terminal 1 transmits the electronic work outline information and the receiving method selected by the user to the information distribution management server 3 (step S10 in FIG. 4).

In the information distribution management server 3 receiving these information from the information terminal 1, the electronic magazine database 8
The electronic magazine creating means 111 searches for necessary electronic work information from the various electronic magazines stored in the electronic work information 3 based on the contents stored in the electronic work information storage means 25, creates the new electronic magazine, and creates a new electronic magazine. The created electronic magazine is distributed from the transmission / reception means 10 via the network 2 in accordance with the selective reception method requested by the user 1 (steps S30, S31, S32 in FIG. 4).

The information terminal 1 receives the electronic magazine information transmitted in accordance with the selective reception method, and
The data is stored in an attached large-capacity storage device such as a built-in HDD (hard disk) or stored while being displayed on a display (steps S11 and S12 in FIG. 4).

In this way, the user can browse by receiving only the electronic work that matches his / her preference.

(Example of Function of Registering Preference Information Database)
Next, an example of implementing a function for extracting user preference information using registration information from a user and registering the same in the preference information database 6 will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, in order to create the user's preference information database 6, in registering a user, the information distribution management server 3 has a plurality of categories relating to electronic magazine information, and “magazine name” to which the user regularly subscribes. And an information terminal 1 for preparing and registering the "title" and "author" of the work and a plurality of "keywords" relating to the electronic magazine information.
To present.

The user can select the "category that does not match" his / her preference from the presented categories, the "work title name" that matches his / her preference from the names of regularly subscribed magazines,
From the “author name” and the presented “keyword”, a “keyword” having the same preference is selected and transmitted to the information distribution management server 3.

FIG. 13 shows an example of the configuration of the elements necessary for realizing the preference information database registration processing function in the information distribution management server 3 which constructs the preference information database 6 in response to such information. As shown in the figure,
The information distribution management server 3 includes a transmission / reception unit 10 for transmitting and receiving information to and from the information terminal 1, a user registration information storage unit 19 for storing user registration information transmitted from the information terminal 1,
The input category identification means 95 for identifying the user initial input category from the received user registration information, the user ID identification means 99 for identifying the input user ID, and the "registered title name" and "author name" The input title and author name identifying means 101 for identifying, the input keyword identifying means 107 for identifying the selected keyword, and the category identified by the input category identifying means 95 and the category registered in the registered category database 97 in advance. The category is compared with the category, and "category 1" is extracted as a non-common category, so that a category detecting means 96 for detecting a rough preference category of the user and a detection for storing the category determined by the category detecting means 96 are stored. The user ID identified by the category storage means 98 and the user ID identification means 99 is recorded. A user ID storage unit 13 for the input title, entered by the user is identified data by author identification means 101 "Movies Title", the title for storing "author", the author name storage means 102
And “input title”, “work title” input by the user, which is data identified by the author name identifying means 101,
Keyword extracting means 103 for extracting keyword information from the information of "author name"; a category-keyword relation table 105 in which the relation between categories and keywords is tabulated; and keyword information and category-keywords extracted by the keyword extracting means 103 Related table 10
5, a category determining means 104 for determining "category 2" by obtaining a "category 2"; a category storing means 106 for storing "category 2" which is a category determined by the category determining means 104; A common category calculating means 108 for calculating a common category from "category" stored in the category storing means 98 and "category 2" stored in the category storing means 106, and a category calculated by the common category calculating means 108 Category storage means 109 for storing the
And a preference information database 6 for storing information of the "category", "work title name", "author name", and "user ID".

Next, the procedure of the user preference information database conversion processing function of the configuration of FIG. 13 of the information distribution management server 3 will be described using the processing flow of FIG.

The information distribution management server 3 provides the user with a list of various categories as initial preference information in advance.

However, since the initial preference information is for indicating to the user what categories can be selected, corresponding information is grouped and prepared for each genre, and the desired genre is selected. You may show the thing of the said group.

The user enters "User I" from his / her own information terminal 1.
D ”, a plurality of“ categories ”presented as initial preference information,“ work title names ”published in magazines, and“ author names ”
From "keyword information", select a "category" that does not match your preference, a favorite "title name", a "favorite author name", and "keyword information" that matches your preference The information is input and transmitted to the information distribution management server (step S101).

Then, in the information distribution management server 3, the information is received by the transmission / reception means 10 and is temporarily stored in the user registration information storage means 19. In the information distribution management server 3, the user ID identifying means 99 identifies the "user ID" from the received information, and the input category identifying means 95 identifies the "category" from the received information, and the input title, author, The name identification means 101 identifies "work title name" and "author name" from the received information, and the input keyword identification means 107 identifies "keyword information" from the received information (steps S111 and S11).
2).

Next, in the information distribution management server 3, the category detecting means 96 registers the information of the "category" identified by the input category identifying means 95 (that is, the category selected by the user and not the user's own preference). A category registered in the category database 97 (a category registered in the system in advance) is compared, and if there is a corresponding category among the registered categories, "Category 1" is extracted as a non-common category. (Step S1
13, S114). The “category 1” is stored in the detected category storage unit 98.

[0125] This "category 1" is acquired as a category that is not desired by the user.

Further, in the information distribution management server 3, the keyword extracting means 103 extracts "keyword information" from the input title, "work title name" and "author name" identified by the author name identifying means 101 (step S11).
5).

In the information distribution management server 3, next, the "keyword information" extracted by the keyword extraction means 103
Using the category keyword association table 105 created in advance, the category determination means 104 determines "category 2" (step S116). Then, this is stored in the category storage means 106. Therefore, this “category 2” is a category based on “keyword information” obtained from the “work title name” and “author name” preferred by the user.

In the information distribution management server 3, next, "keyword information" which matches the user's own preference, which is the keyword input by the user and which is identified by the input keyword identification means 107, and the category-keyword association table 10
5 and the category discriminating means 104 is "category 3"
Is determined (step S117). Therefore, this “category 3” is a category based on “keyword information” that matches the user's own preference.

In the information distribution management server 3, the category determining means 104 and the common category calculating means 108 compare the "category 1", "category 2" and "category 3" which have been determined so far, and share them. A category is selected (step S118). Then, the common category calculation means 108 stores the selected common category in the common category storage means 109 and also registers it in the preference information database 6.

As a result, the preference information database 6 stores the user's “user identification ID” as the preference information related data of the user who performed the input operation, and “category (preference)” as the user's “preference information”. And titles not favorite), "work title" (title of favorite work or article), and "author" (favorite author) can be registered (step S119).

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented with various modifications. For example, the processing control procedure described in each embodiment shown in the flowchart can be read by a computer and distributed as an executable program on a network or using a recording medium. Further, in the present invention, the above embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriate combinations of a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some components are deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment, at least one of the problems described in the column of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the problem described in the column of the effect of the invention can be solved. In the case where at least one of the effects described above is obtained, a configuration from which this component is deleted can be extracted as an invention.

[0132]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, in the distribution of electronic magazine information, the information distribution management server side uses the work information constituting the electronic magazine adapted to the user's preference as summary information. To provide a simplified version,
The user does not need to extract information matching the user's preference from the searched and distributed information by himself / herself, so that the burden on the user can be reduced and information can be efficiently provided. In addition, the user can obtain only information that matches his / her taste by simple selection.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the present invention, and is a diagram for explaining an overall configuration of a system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the present invention, and is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of an information distribution management server in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a service processing procedure in the system according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data format of a user management database used in the system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data format of a user preference information database used in the system of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data format of an electronic magazine summary information database used in the system of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention, and is a system configuration diagram showing details of an information distribution management server.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the present invention, and is a diagram showing an example of a main system configuration of an information distribution management server according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a processing procedure in the third embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the present invention, and is a diagram showing an example of a main system configuration of an information distribution management server according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the present invention, showing an example in a system configuration diagram of a main part of an information distribution management server for realizing a function for creating a user preference information database in the system of the present invention; is there.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart for explaining a processing procedure for creating a user preference information database in the system of FIG. 13;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Information terminal 2 ... Network 3, 3A, 3B, 3C ... Information distribution management server 4 ... Electronic work information database 5 ... User management database 6 ... Preference information database 7, 7A, 7B, 7C ... Summary information database 8, 8a , 8b, ８8n Information providing server 9, 9a, 9b, ９9n Information providing database 10 Transmission / reception means 11 User information registration means 12 User recognition means 13 User ID storage means 14 Usage User ID search means 15 ... User determination means 16 ... User ID collation means 18 ... User preference information search means 19 ... User preference information storage means 21 ... Electronic magazine summary information search means 22 ... Electronic magazine summary information storage means 24 ... Electronic magazine information search means 29 ... User ID 30 ... Password 31 ... Name 32 ... Age 33 ... Sex 34 Address 36 ... User ID 37, 42 ... Category 38, 42 ... Title 39, 43 ... Author name 44 ... Title page image 45 ... Pointer information 46, 78 ... Update time information 47 ... Information server management information 49, 63 ... Transmission Means 50, 64 Communication means 51 Electronic magazine contents information request means 52, 67, 79 Control means 53, 68 Electronic magazine contents information detecting means 54, 69 Electronic magazine contents information storage means 55, 70, 90 Title Separate first page storage means 56, 66, 80 ... information providing server identification means 57 ... keyword extraction means 58 ... category discrimination means 59 ... category-keyword association table 60, 74, 88, 106 ... category storage means 65 ... update information detection means 81: Information providing server identification information storage means 82: Electronic magazine information storage 83 electronic magazine database 84 table of contents information extracting means 89 top page extracting means 94 user registration information storing means 95 input category identifying means 96 category detecting means 97 registered category 98 detecting category storing means 99 user ID identification means 101: input title, author name identification means 102: title, author name storage means 107 ... input keyword identification means 108 ... common category calculation means 109 ... common category storage means 111 ... electronic magazine creation means 112 ... update flag information discrimination means

Claims (18)

[Claims] An information delivery server connected to a public network and holding at least one electronic magazine to be provided, and an information delivery management server for delivering and managing information of the electronic magazine held by the information providing server. In a distribution system, a service provided by the information distribution management server can be used by an information terminal connected via the public network, wherein the information distribution management server includes: an electronic magazine held by the information provision server. A summary information database that collects summary information of each article or work constituting the personal information registration means for registering personal information including personal preference information; and personal information registered in the personal information registration means for the individual. Means for extracting the personal preference information; and the extracted preference information. A summary information search means for searching for summary information of each article or work constituting an electronic magazine adapted to an individual with reference to the summary information database; and using the summary information searched by the summary information search means for user information. Means for transmitting to the terminal, among the electronic magazines provided by the information providing server, the relevant articles or works selected from the summary information in the transmitted information terminal are collected from the electronic magazine and reconfigured as an electronic magazine And a means for providing the information terminal side. 2. An information delivery server connected to a public network and holding at least one electronic magazine to be provided, and an information delivery management server for delivering and managing information of the electronic magazine held by the information providing server. A distribution system in which a service provided by the information distribution management server can be used by an information terminal connected via the public network, wherein the information distribution management server includes: Summary information retrieval means for collecting summary information of each article or work constituting the electronic magazine, a summary information database holding the summary information acquired by the summary information search means, and personal preference information. Personal information registration means for registering personal information, and input from the information terminal Means for authenticating an individual based on personal information; means for extracting preference information of the individual from personal information registered in the personal information registration means for the authenticated individual; and using the extracted preference information, A summary information search means for searching for summary information of each article or work constituting an electronic magazine adapted to an individual by referring to the summary information database; and transmitting the summary information searched by the summary information search means to the information terminal of the user. Means for collecting, from among the electronic magazines provided by the information providing server, articles and works corresponding to the selected information selected from the summary information in the transmitted information terminal, and reconstructing as an electronic magazine, the information terminal side Means for providing information to the information distribution system. 3. The information providing server has table of contents information of an electronic magazine held by the information providing server, and has a function of transmitting the table of contents when a request is received. Means for periodically requesting the latest electronic magazine table of contents information from a plurality of information providing servers connected to the public network, means for reading the electronic magazine table of contents information transmitted from the information providing server, A means for obtaining the unique information of each article or work and registering them as summary information in the summary information database, and comparing the summary information in the summary information database with the personal preference information of the user to obtain a summary adapted to the user 3. The information distribution system according to claim 1, further comprising: means for extracting only information. 4. The information providing server has a function of transmitting update information of the latest electronic magazine and table of contents information of the electronic magazine when updating an electronic magazine provided by the information providing server. Means for receiving update information and table of contents information of the latest electronic magazine from the information providing server, obtaining unique information of each article or work from these, and registering them as summary information in a summary information database. Item 3. The information distribution system according to any one of Items 1 or 2. 5. The information providing server has a function of periodically transmitting table of contents information of an electronic magazine provided by the information providing server, and the information distribution management server transmits table of contents information and electronic magazine information from the information providing server. The information distribution system according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit. 6. A means for extracting the preference information possessed by the information distribution management server, means for extracting a keyword from title information of a user's favorite article or work, and means prepared in advance for the extracted keyword. Means for extracting a category to which the keyword belongs by referring to a table indicating the category-keyword relationship; means for receiving the user's favorite keyword information and extracting a category from the keyword; Means for receiving the author name information and extracting the category to which the author name belongs from the author name information; and taking the common items that are the preferences of the user from each of these categories and the information of the categories that the user does not like 3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising: means for acquiring user-specific preference information. Information delivery system. 7. An information delivery server connected to a public network and holding an electronic magazine to be provided, and an information delivery management server to deliver and manage information of the electronic magazine held by the information providing server. A service provided by the information terminal connected via the public network, wherein the information delivery management server registers a category corresponding to personal preference of the user, From the electronic magazine information, select the information of the work that matches the user's preference, transmit the article or work to the user's information terminal as summary information, and let the user select based on the transmitted summary information. Collect the selected articles or works from the e-magazine and send them to the information terminal of the user Information delivery method for causing a signal. 8. An information delivery server connected to a public network and holding at least one electronic magazine to be provided, and an information delivery management server for delivering and managing information of the electronic magazine held by the information providing server. An information distribution method of a distribution system in which a service provided by the information distribution management server can be used by an information terminal connected via the public network, wherein the information distribution management server includes: In addition to preparing an outline information database that collects the outline information of each article or work constituting the electronic magazine to be held, and registering personal information including personal preference information, the personal information is registered based on the registered personal information with respect to the individual. Information, and using the extracted preference information, A search for summary information of each article or work constituting an electronic magazine suitable for an individual with reference to a database, transmitting the searched summary information to an information terminal of a user, and providing an electronic magazine provided by the information providing server. At the information terminal that received the information, let the information terminal select the desired information from the summary information, know the corresponding articles and works selected from the information, collect them, reconfigure as an electronic magazine, and provide it to the information terminal side An information distribution method characterized by causing the information to be distributed. 9. The information providing server transmits a table of contents information of the electronic magazine held by the request to the information providing server. The server periodically requests the latest e-magazine table of contents information to obtain the table of contents of the e-magazine of the information providing server, obtains information specific to each article or work from the obtained table of contents, and obtains these as summary information. 9. The information distribution method according to claim 7, wherein said summary information is compared with personal preference information of a user to extract only summary information suitable for the user. 10. The information providing server, when updating an electronic magazine provided by itself, distributes update information of the latest electronic magazine and table of contents information of the electronic magazine. 9. The information processing system according to claim 7, further comprising receiving update information and table of contents information of the latest electronic magazine from a providing server, obtaining unique information of each article or work from these, and using them as summary information. Information distribution method described in section. 11. The information providing server is caused to periodically transmit table-of-contents information of an electronic magazine provided by itself, and the information distribution management server is configured to periodically transmit table-of-contents information transmitted from the information providing server. The electronic magazine information is received and stored.
An information distribution method according to any one of the preceding claims. 12. The information distribution management server, when extracting the preference information, causes a keyword to be extracted from title information of a user's favorite article or work, and a category prepared in advance for the extracted keyword. With reference to a table indicating the relationship between keywords, the category to which the keyword belongs is extracted, the keyword information of the user is received, the category is extracted from the keyword, and the author name information of the user is received. The category to which this author name belongs is extracted from the author name information, and a common item that is the user's preference is obtained from each of these categories and information on the category that the user does not like, thereby obtaining a user-specific 9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the preference information is obtained by acquiring the preference information.
Information distribution method described in section. 13. At least one electronic magazine connected to a public network and holding at least one electronic magazine to be provided.
An information terminal that includes two information providing servers and an information distribution management server that distributes and manages information of an electronic magazine held by the information distribution server, and is connected to a service provided by the information distribution management server via the public network. An information distribution management server in a distribution system made available by the above-mentioned method, comprising: an outline information database that collects outline information of each article or work constituting an electronic magazine held by the information providing server; and personal information including personal preference information. Personal information registration means for registering the personal information; means for extracting preference information of the individual from the personal information registered in the personal information registration means for the individual; and using the extracted preference information to refer to the summary information database. Of each article or work that composes an electronic magazine adapted to the individual Summary information search means for searching information; means for transmitting the summary information searched by the summary information search means to a user's information terminal; and information terminal received from the electronic magazine provided by the information providing server. A means for collecting relevant articles or works on the basis of the information selected from the summary information, reconstructing them as an electronic magazine, and providing them to the information terminal side. 14. An information delivery management server, comprising: means for periodically requesting the latest electronic magazine table of contents information from a plurality of information providing servers connected to a public network; and a table of contents of the electronic magazine transmitted from the information providing server. Means for acquiring information; means for obtaining unique information of each article or work from the acquired table of contents information and registering them as summary information in the summary information database; 15. A means for comparing preference information and extracting only summary information suitable for the user.
Information distribution management server described. 15. The information distribution management server receives update information and table of contents information of the latest electronic magazine from the information providing server, obtains specific information of each article or work therefrom, and uses them as summary information as a summary information database. 15. The information distribution management server according to claim 14, further comprising means for registering the information distribution management server. 16. The information providing server has a function of periodically transmitting table of contents information of an electronic magazine provided by the information providing server, and the information distribution management server transmits the table of contents information and electronic magazine information from the information providing server. The information distribution management server according to claim 14, further comprising a storage unit. 17. An information delivery server connected to a public network and holding an electronic magazine to be provided, and an information delivery management server for delivering and managing information of the electronic magazine held by the information providing server, wherein the information delivery management server Registering a category corresponding to a user's personal preference in the processing program of the information distribution management server in the distribution system in which the service provided by the information terminal connected via the public network can be used; Selecting from the electronic magazine information information on articles or works that match the user's preference based on the registered information; and transmitting the selected articles or works to the user's information terminal as summary information. Steps and let the user select based on this sent summary information Collecting the relevant articles or works from the electronic magazine and distributing them to the information terminal of the user. 18. At least one connected to a public network and holding at least one electronic magazine to be provided.
An information terminal that includes two information providing servers and an information distribution management server that distributes and manages information of an electronic magazine held by the information distribution server, and is connected to a service provided by the information distribution management server via the public network. Registering personal information including personal preference information, and extracting personal preference information from the registered personal information for the individual in the processing program of the information distribution management server in the distribution system made available by Steps: using the extracted preference information, referring to a summary information database that collects summary information of each article or work that constitutes the electronic magazine held by the information providing server, and configuring each electronic magazine that is adapted to the individual. Steps for searching article or work summary information, and this search Transmitting the summary information to the information terminal of the user, and, from among the electronic magazines provided by the information providing server, based on the result of selecting a desired one from the summary information in the transmitted information terminal, A processing program for an information distribution management server, comprising: a step of knowing articles and works corresponding to the selection, collecting the articles and reconstructing them as an electronic magazine, and providing the reconstructed electronic magazine to the information terminal.