JP2002351626A - Free sample offering system, server, client host, free sample offering method, free sample offering program and computer readable recording medium in which free sample offering program is recorded - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a free sample offering system, a server, a client host, a free sample offering method, a free sample offering program and a computer readable recording medium in which the free sample offering program is recorded by which advertising effects of service is enhanced, validity of offer of a free sample is checked and the offer of same free sample to the same user is prevented without lowering user's convenience. SOLUTION: The server 101 retrieves a printer ID management data base 102 based on a printer model ID received from the client host 103, checks whether or not the user is registered, whether or not the validity of the offer of free sample is expired and whether or not the same contents are transmitted and transmits the contents such as the free sample to the client host 103 based on this check.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a free sample providing system for providing free samples of contents via a network, a server, a client host, a free sample providing method, a free sample providing program, and a computer recording a free sample providing program. Regarding a readable recording medium, particularly preferably, in a paid content providing service for providing various contents for a fee through a network, a free sample providing system, a server, a client host, and a free sample providing for free samples of contents are provided. The present invention relates to a method, a free sample providing program, and a computer-readable recording medium recording the free sample providing program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, services for providing various contents such as image data and news information to users for a fee through the Internet are actively performed.

[0003] As a method of providing contents, there is a method of providing print data according to a printer used by a user, in addition to an electronic mail, a Web page, and the like. In order to acquire customers, such service providers provide samples to an unspecified number of users free of charge and advertise the usefulness of paid services.

[0004]

The samples provided free of charge are predetermined images, excerpts of past news, etc., and the contents have hardly been updated. Therefore, as a free sample requiring real-time properties such as news information, the advertising effect of the usefulness of the service was low.

[0005] Therefore, a service has been proposed in which the user is registered as a guest, and the same contents as the paid service or an extract of the paid service is provided as a free sample for a predetermined period.

At this time, in order to prevent the same user from registering the guest a plurality of times, the service provider transmits information regarding the privacy of the user, for example, an address and a date of birth, to the service provider at the time of guest registration. The method is generally adopted.

[0007] However, free samples are not provided to users who dislike privacy leaks or users who find guest registration complicated, and their advertising effect was insufficient.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, enhances the advertising effect of the service, does not reduce the convenience of the user, checks the expiration date of the provision of free samples, and provides the same user with the same free samples. It is an object of the present invention to provide a free sample providing system, a server, a client host, a free sample providing method, a free sample providing program, and a computer-readable recording medium which records the free sample providing program, which can prevent providing the free sample.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a free sample providing system according to the present invention comprises at least information transmitting means connected to each other by a network and transmitting information about contents via the network. One or more servers, at least one or more client hosts for receiving information related to the content transmitted from the servers, at least one or more printers connected to the client hosts, at least a printer model ID and the printer model A free sample providing system comprising at least one printer ID management database for managing information about a user corresponding to an ID, wherein the client host comprises:
ID requesting means for acquiring a printer model ID of the printer, and ID transmitting means for transmitting the acquired printer model ID to the server, wherein the server receives the printer model ID from the client host and outputs the printer ID. A registration judging unit for judging whether or not the information is registered in the management database; and a registration processing unit for registering information about the user together with the printer model ID in the printer ID management database. The printer model ID received by the registration judging means from the client host is the printer ID
If you determine that you are registered in the management database,
Transmitting information about the content to the client host; and transmitting information about the printer model I received by the registration determining unit from the client host.
If it is determined that D is not registered in the printer ID management database, the registration processing means registers the user information together with the printer model ID in the printer ID management database, and transmits the content to the client host. Features.

Further, the printer ID management database stores the transmission information of the content, and the registration judging means determines, based on the transmission information of the content, that the content to be transmitted to the client host has already been transmitted. It is determined whether or not the content exists, and the information transmitting unit may stop transmitting the content when the registration determining unit determines that the content is already transmitted.

The printer ID management database stores information on an expiration date for transmitting content to the client host.
Based on the information on the expiration date, it is determined whether the expiration date for transmitting the content to the client host has passed, and the information transmission unit has passed the expiration date by the registration determination unit. If it is determined that the validity period has expired, the information indicating the expiration date is transmitted to the client host.

Further, the server according to the present invention is a server provided with information transmitting means for transmitting information about contents via a network, and at least one of the servers for receiving the information about the contents transmitted from the server.
The above-described client host, at least one or more printers connected to the client host, and at least one or more printer ID management databases for managing at least a printer model ID and information on a user corresponding to the printer model ID, and a network. A connected server, wherein the client host comprises:
ID requesting means for acquiring a printer model ID of the printer, and ID transmitting means for transmitting the acquired printer model ID to the server, wherein the server receives the printer model ID from the client host and outputs the printer ID. A registration judging unit for judging whether or not the information is registered in the management database; and a registration processing unit for registering information about the user together with the printer model ID in the printer ID management database. The printer model ID received by the registration judging means from the client host is the printer ID
If you determine that you are registered in the management database,
Transmitting information about the content to the client host; and transmitting information about the printer model I received by the registration determining unit from the client host.
If it is determined that D is not registered in the printer ID management database, the registration processing means registers the user information together with the printer model ID in the printer ID management database, and transmits the content to the client host. Features.

[0013] Further, the client host according to the present invention is connected to at least one or more servers provided with information transmitting means for transmitting information relating to contents via a network, the information relating to the contents transmitted from the server. At least one printer connected to the client host, and at least one printer I that manages at least a printer model ID and information about a user corresponding to the printer model ID.
A client host connected to the D management database via a network, the client host comprising: an ID requesting unit for acquiring a printer model ID of the printer; and an ID transmitting unit for transmitting the acquired printer model ID to the server. Registration determination means for determining whether a printer model ID received from the client host is registered in the printer ID management database; and information about a user together with a printer model ID in the printer ID management database. Registration processing means for registering the printer ID, the information transmission means of the server, when the registration determination means determines that the printer model ID received from the client host is registered in the printer ID management database , The client If information relating to the content is transmitted to the host, and the information transmitting unit of the server determines that the printer model ID received from the client host is not registered in the printer ID management database, the registration determining unit determines the registration. The information about the user along with the printer model ID is sent to the printer
In addition, the content is transmitted to the client host while being registered in the D management database.

Further, in the method for providing a free sample according to the present invention, the server transmits information related to the content via a network, and the client host connected to the printer via the network transmits the information from the server. A method for providing a free sample, the method comprising: receiving at least information relating to the content; and a printer ID management database registering at least a printer model ID and information relating to a user corresponding to the printer model ID. The host includes ID requesting means for acquiring a printer model ID of the printer, and ID transmitting means for transmitting the acquired printer model ID to the server, wherein the server receives the printer model ID received from the client host. The printer ID management data A registration judging unit for judging whether or not the user is registered in the base; and a registration processing unit for registering information about the user together with the printer model ID in the printer ID management database. When the registration determining unit determines that the printer model ID received from the client host is registered in the printer ID management database, the information transmitting unit transmits information regarding the content to the client host. Printer model ID received by the registration determination means from the client host
If it is determined that the user is not registered in the printer ID management database, the registration processing means registers the information about the user in the printer ID management database together with the printer model ID, and transmits the content to the client host. And

Further, the free sample providing program according to the present invention provides a free sample providing program, comprising: a server having information transmitting means for transmitting at least one or more computers with information on contents via a network; and information on the contents transmitted from the server. And a printer connected to the client host, and a printer ID management database that manages at least a printer model ID and information about a user corresponding to the printer model ID, and the at least one computer The server, the client host, the printer, and the printer I as a whole
D is a free sample providing program that realizes all functions of the management database, wherein the client host is:
An ID requesting unit for obtaining a printer model ID of the printer, and a function as an ID transmitting unit for transmitting the obtained printer model ID to the server, wherein the server receives the printer model ID received from the client host. A registration judging unit for judging whether or not the information is registered in the printer ID management database; and a function as a registration processing unit for registering information about the user together with the printer model ID in the printer ID management database. When the registration determining unit determines that the printer model ID received from the client host is registered in the printer ID management database, the transmitting unit transmits information about the content to the client host, and transmits the information of the server. The transmitting means determines the registration If the printer model ID stage is received from the client host is determined not to be registered in the printer ID management database, the registration processing means the printer model information about the user by the I
D and the content are transmitted to the client host while being registered in the printer ID management database.

Further, a computer-readable recording medium on which the free sample providing program according to the present invention is recorded is a computer-readable recording medium which transmits at least one or more computers with information relating to contents via a network, A client host for receiving the information on the content transmitted from the server, a printer connected to the client host, at least a printer model ID and the printer model I
Printer I that manages information about the user corresponding to D
D function as a management database, and the at least one
A computer-readable recording medium that records a free sample providing program that realizes all functions of the server, the client host, the printer, and the printer ID management database as the entire computer, wherein the client host includes the printer ID request means for acquiring the printer model ID of the printer, and a function as an ID transmitting means for transmitting the acquired printer model ID to the server. The server transmits the printer model ID received from the client host to the printer ID. A registration judging unit for judging whether or not the information is registered in the management database; and a function as a registration processing unit for registering information about the user together with the printer model ID in the printer ID management database. When the registration judging means judges that the printer model ID received from the client host is registered in the printer ID management database, the information transmitting means transmits the information on the content to the client host, and the information transmitting means of the server If the registration determining means determines that the printer model ID received from the client host is not registered in the printer ID management database, the registration processing means stores information about the user together with the printer model ID in the printer ID management database. And a free sample providing program for transmitting contents to the client host.

As described above, according to the present invention, by transmitting the printer model ID from the client host to the server, the server can extract the same contents as the paid service or the extracted paid service without causing the user to perform complicated guest registration. Can be provided to the user's client host.

As a result, the server can check whether the expiration date of the provision of the free sample has not expired while enhancing the advertising effect of the service, and can confirm the free information by checking the history information stored in the printer ID management database. When providing samples, you can check that the service provider does not provide free samples to the same user more than once.

[0019]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the dimensions of the components described in this embodiment,
The material, shape, relative arrangement, and the like are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to them unless otherwise specified.

In the following drawings, the same members as those described in the above-mentioned drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In the following description of an embodiment of the free sample providing system according to the present invention, a server, a client host, a free sample providing method, a free sample providing program, and a free sample providing program according to the present invention are recorded. Of a computer-readable recording medium according to an embodiment.

(One Embodiment of Free Sample Providing System) Hereinafter, one embodiment of a free sample providing system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a free sample providing system according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, one embodiment of the free sample providing system according to the present invention provides a server 10 which provides information on various contents to a client host 103 such as a user's PC via the Internet.
1, a client host 103 that receives information about contents from the server 101, and a printer 104 connected to the client host 103.

As the client host 103, P
C (personal computer) is assumed, for example, in addition to a personal computer, a mobile phone, a PDA (personal digit)
digital appliances such as televisions and network-enabled televisions.

The client host 103 and the printer 104 may be connected by, for example, Bluetooth (trademark).

In the example shown in FIG.
Although the D management database 102 is included in the server 101, the present invention is not limited to such a case, and the printer ID management database 102 is constructed by a database server, for example, and the printer I
The D management database 102 may be connected to the server 101 via a network.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the server 10
1, only one printer ID management database 102, one client host 103 and one printer 104 are shown, but the present invention is not limited to such a case, and the server 101, printer ID management database 102, client The number of hosts 103 and printers 104 may be any number equal to or greater than one.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the server 101, the client host 103, and the printer 104
Are connected to each other by a network.

The server 101 and the client host 103 are connected by the Internet, and the client host 103 and the printer 104 are connected by a LAN.
Although they are generally connected by a network, the present invention is not limited to such a case, and any network can be used as a network for connecting them.

In the above embodiment, the Internet using TCP / IP has been described as an example of the network between the server 101 and the client host 103. However, the network is not limited to such an Internet. Instead, for example, WAP (wir
eless application protocol
A network using or using any other protocol such as l) may be used.

The Internet may be IPv4 or IPv6, or both may be used in combination. The network may be wired or wireless, or both may be used in combination.

Here, the internal structure of the server 101 used in the above embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram of the server 101 used in the free sample providing system shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the server 101
CPU (Central Processing Un
it) 201, input device 202, main storage device 203
, An output device 204, an auxiliary storage device 205, a clock device 206, and a communication device 209.

The CPU 201 is a member conceived as an alias processing device. The CPU 201 sends a command to each device in the system and controls the operation thereof. The central portion of the server 101 performs arithmetic processing of digital data. And an arithmetic unit 208.

The control device 207 reads data input from the input device 202 and a predetermined procedure (for example, a program or software) into the main storage device 203 in accordance with the timing of the clock generated by the clock device 206, and reads the read content. And sends a command to the arithmetic unit 208 to perform arithmetic processing. The result of this operation is
Based on the control of the control device 207, the main storage device 203,
The data is transmitted to internal devices such as the output device 204 and the auxiliary storage device 205 and external devices.

The input device 202 is a member for inputting various data, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a pointing device, a touch panel, a mouse pad, and a CC.
D camera, card reader, paper tape reader,
A magnetic tape device or the like is conceivable.

The main storage device 203 is a member that is conceived as an alias memory, and is a member that indicates an addressable storage space used for executing instructions in the processing device and the internal storage device. The main storage device 203 is mainly composed of a semiconductor storage element, stores and holds input programs and data, and reads out the stored and held data into, for example, a register in accordance with an instruction from the control device 207.

As a semiconductor storage element constituting the main storage device 203, a RAM (Random Access) is used.
Memory) or ROM (Read Only Me)
molly) and the like.

The output device 204 is a member for outputting the operation result and the like of the operation device 208, and includes, for example, a CRT, a plasma display panel and a liquid crystal display, other display devices, a printing device such as a printer, an audio output device, and the like. I do.

The auxiliary storage device 205 is a member for supplementing the storage capacity of the main storage device 203. For example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a hard disk, a CD, or the like is provided by a magnetic disk device, an optical disk device, a semiconductor disk device, or the like. -ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-
ROM, DVD-R, DVD + RW, DVD-RW, D
VD-RAM, MO, etc. correspond.

The communication device 209 is a device for communicating with an external network, and performs data transmission and reception, digital-analog conversion, and the like as appropriate according to the connected network.

Here, the above devices are interconnected by an address bus or a data bus.

The numbers of the main storage device 203 and the auxiliary storage device 205 are not limited to one each.
Any number may be used. These main storage devices 20
3 and the number of auxiliary storage devices 205 increase, the fault tolerance of the server 101 improves accordingly.

The program according to the present invention is stored (recorded) in at least one of the main storage device 203 and the auxiliary storage device 205.

Therefore, a computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to the present invention is recorded corresponds to at least one of the main storage device 203 and the auxiliary storage device 205.

Further, the auxiliary storage device 205 shown in FIG.
Functions as a database for storing various information.
The term “database” generally means a set of information (data). In this specification, not only such a conceptual meaning but also a term “database” refers to a physical database storing information. It also means a magnetic recording medium such as a server or a hard disk or an optical recording medium such as an optical disk.

As the database, not only the auxiliary storage device 205 but also a database server connected to the server may be used.

However, the conceptual division of information is important for the division of the database, and the distinction between physical recording media is irrelevant. Therefore, a plurality of databases may be conceptually an aggregate of a plurality of information stored on one magnetic disk or optical disk, for example.
One database may be a collection of conceptually single information stored in a plurality of magnetic disks or optical disks.

In the above description, only the internal configuration of the server 101 shown in FIG. 1 has been described. However, the internal configurations of the client host 103 and the printer 104 shown in FIG. 1 are also the same as those shown in FIG. , And the same description holds.

Next, the function of each device of the free sample providing system shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a functional conceptual diagram of the server 101, the client host 103, and the printer 104 shown in FIG.

However, the function of the server 101 shown in FIG. 3 is such that the CPU 201 of the server 101 alone or in combination with other components, or in cooperation with a program stored in the main storage device 203 or the auxiliary storage device 205. It is realized by working.

Similarly, the function of the client host 103 shown in FIG.
Is realized by itself, together with other components, or in cooperation with a program stored in a main storage device or an auxiliary storage device.

Similarly, the function of the printer 104 shown in FIG. 3 is such that the CPU of the printer 104 operates alone or together with other components, or in cooperation with a program stored in a main storage device or an auxiliary storage device. Is realized.

As shown in FIG. 3, the server 101
A registration determining unit 301 as a registration determining unit described in the claims of the present application, which determines whether or not the printer model ID transmitted from the client host 103 is already stored in the printer ID management database 102.

The registration judging unit 301 determines the client host 103 based on the printer model ID and the information stored in the printer ID management database 102.
It is determined whether the expiration date for providing a free sample has expired and whether the same content has been transmitted to the client host 103.

Here, data stored in the printer ID management database 102 shown in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows the printer I shown in FIG.
4A and 4B are conceptual diagrams of data stored in the D management database 102. FIG. 4A illustrates an example of a printer model ID table, and FIG. 4B illustrates an example of a content transmission table.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the printer model ID table uses the printer model ID as a primary key, and stores information on the user corresponding to the printer model ID described in the claims of the present application. An ID, a user's name, a user's address, a user's e-mail address, and the like are stored. Of course, the items stored in the printer model ID table are not limited to the items shown in FIG. 4A, and any items can be increased or decreased.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the content transmission table includes a user ID and a content ID.
As the primary key, the presence / absence of transmission, the expiration date for transmitting the content for free, the number of transmissions of the content, and the like are stored as items. Of course, the items stored in the content transmission table are not limited to the items shown in FIG. 4B, and any items can be increased or decreased.

Of course, the tables stored in the printer ID management database 102 are not limited to the printer model ID table shown in FIG. 4A and the content transmission table shown in FIG. , And other tables.

Next, the description returns to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, when the user using the client host 103 is not a registered user, the server 101 serves as a registration processing unit described in the claims of the present application for performing guest registration. Guest registration processing unit 302 is provided.

The server 101 has an information transmitting unit 303 as an information transmitting unit described in the claims of the present application, which transmits contents and other information to the client host 103.

The printer ID management database 10
2 manages the printer model ID of the printer 104 connected to the client host 103 as described above.

Next, the client host 103 requests the printer 104 for a printer model ID to be transmitted to the server 101, and transmits an ID request unit 304 as ID request means described in the claims of the present application. Prepare.

The client host 103 has a display unit 305 for displaying various information transmitted from the server 101.

The client host 103 transmits the printer model ID received from the printer 104 to the server 10.
1 and an ID transmitting unit 306 serving as an ID transmitting unit described in the claims of the present application for transmitting the data to the ID transmitting unit 1.

The client host 103 includes a print processing unit 307 for causing the printer 104 to print various information received from the server 101.

On the other hand, the printer 104 has an ID storage unit 308 for storing a unique printer model ID for each device.

Next, the operation of the free sample providing system shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the operation of the free sample providing system shown in FIG.

Here, the following is an explanation of the operation in the case where the free sample providing system of the present embodiment provides free samples in the pay content providing service.

First, the ID requesting unit 304 of the client host 103 requests the connected printer 104 for a printer model ID (step 1).

The printer 104 sends the printer model ID to the client host 103,
03 acquires a printer model ID (step 2).

Since a unique printer ID is assigned to each printer, it is possible to limit the connected client hosts based on the printer model ID.

Next, the ID transmission unit 306 of the client host 103 requests the server 101 for the content and transmits the printer model ID (step 3,
4).

The server 101 has a printer ID management database 102 for managing printer model IDs. The registration determination unit 301 of the server 101 determines the printer model ID transmitted from the client host 103.
Is registered in the printer ID management database 102.

When the transmitted printer model ID is the printer I
If it is registered in the D management database 102, the server 101 determines whether the free sample provision has expired based on the information on the expiration date shown in FIG. 4B. Further, the server 101 determines whether or not the transmission is performed or the number of transmissions illustrated in FIG.
It is determined whether the content is already transmitted. Here, the server 101 may perform at least one of the above three determinations, and may add another determination.

Here, even if the server 101 determines that the content has already been transmitted to the client host 103, there is a content that is permitted to be transmitted again depending on the content.

Based on the above determination result, the server 101
Transmits, to the client host 103, information indicating that a free sample of the content data and, if necessary, the provision of the free sample have expired, as information on the content described in the claims of the present application (step S110). 6, 7).

The guest registration processing unit 3 of the server 101
In step 02, when the transmitted printer model ID is not registered in the printer ID management database 102, guest registration processing is performed (step 5).

This guest registration process is performed, for example, as shown in FIG.
This is performed by transmitting each piece of information about the user shown in (a) from the client host 103 to the server.

Next, after the guest registration processing unit 302 has registered, the server 101 transmits a free sample of content data.

The client host 103 is connected to the server 10
When a free sample of the content data is transmitted from No. 1, the content of the received information is displayed on a monitor (not shown) by the display unit 305 (step 8), and is processed by the printer And printing (step 9). Here, the client host 103
May perform either display or print, or both, based on the received free sample, or may perform operations other than these.

By this display and printing, the user of the client host 103 can refer to the free sample.

On the other hand, when the information that the expiration of the provision of the free sample has been transmitted, the client host 10
3 cannot refer to free samples.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, by using the printer model ID for user registration and expiration date management in the provision of free samples, users who do not want to leak privacy and users who find it difficult to register guests can be used. It is possible to provide the same content as the paid service or as a free sample of an extract of the paid service, which has the effect of increasing the advertising effect of the service.

Further, since a unique printer model ID is assigned to each printer, the number of connected client hosts can be limited by the printer model ID, and the expiration date of free sample provision can be checked. Also, it is possible to check that the service provider does not provide the free sample to the same user more than once when the free sample is provided.

[0086]

As described above, the method for providing a free sample in the paid content providing service of the present invention is as follows.
Free samples can also be provided to users who dislike privacy leaks or users who find guest registration complicated, and have the effect of increasing the advertising effect of the service.

Further, the client host can be limited by the printer model ID, the expiration date of the provision of the free sample is checked, and the service provider does not provide the same user with the free sample more than once when the free sample is provided. In this way, it is possible to perform a check.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a free sample providing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram of a server 101 used in the free sample providing system shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a functional conceptual diagram of a server 101, a client host 103, and a printer 104 shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of data stored in a printer ID management database 102 shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an operation of the free sample providing system shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 server 102 management database 103 client host 104 printer 201 CPU 202 input device 203 main storage device 204 output device 205 auxiliary storage device 206 clock device 207 control device 208 arithmetic device 209 communication device 301 registration determination unit 302 guest registration processing unit 303 information transmission Unit 304 request unit 305 display unit 306 transmission unit 307 print processing unit 308 ID storage unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme court ゛ (Reference) H04N 7/173 640 H04N 7/173 640Z (54) [Title of Invention] Free sample providing system, server, client host , Free sample providing method, free sample providing program, and computer readable recording medium recording free sample providing program

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. At least one or more servers connected to each other by a network and comprising information transmitting means for transmitting information on contents via a network, and at least one or more servers receiving information on the contents transmitted from the server At least one client host connected to the client host
A free sample providing system comprising the above-mentioned printer, and at least one or more printer ID management databases for managing at least one printer model ID and information about a user corresponding to the printer model ID, wherein the client host comprises: ID requesting means for acquiring the printer model ID of the printer, and ID transmitting means for transmitting the acquired printer model ID to the server. The server comprises: a printer model ID received from the client host.
Registration determining means for determining whether or not the information is registered in the printer ID management database; and registration processing means for registering information about a user together with a printer model ID in the printer ID management database. When the registration determining unit determines that the printer model ID received from the client host is registered in the printer ID management database, the transmitting unit transmits information about the content to the client host, and the server information When the registration judging unit judges that the printer model ID received from the client host is not registered in the printer ID management database, the transmitting unit sends information about the user together with the printer model ID to the printer ID. Management Free samples providing system characterized in that causes registered in database, and transmits the content to the client host. 2. The printer ID management database,
The transmission information of the content is stored, and the registration determining unit determines whether the content to be transmitted to the client host is already transmitted content based on the transmission information of the content, 2. The free sample providing system according to claim 1, wherein when the registration judging unit judges that the content is already transmitted, the transmission of the content can be stopped. 3. The printer ID management database stores information on an expiration date for transmitting content to the client host, and the registration judging unit stores the information based on the information on the expiration date.
The information transmitting means determines whether or not the expiration date for transmitting the content to the client host has passed, and the information transmitting means has expired if the registration determining means determines that the expiration date has passed. The free sample providing system according to claim 1, wherein information representing the following is transmitted to the client host. 4. A server comprising information transmitting means for transmitting information about contents via a network, at least one or more client hosts receiving the information about the contents transmitted from the server, and connecting to the client host. At least one
A server connected by a network to the above printer, at least one or more printer ID management databases for managing at least one printer model ID and information on a user corresponding to the printer model ID, the client host comprising: ID requesting means for acquiring a printer model ID; and ID transmitting means for transmitting the acquired printer model ID to the server, wherein the server comprises: a printer model ID received from the client host;
Registration determining means for determining whether or not the information is registered in the printer ID management database; and registration processing means for registering information about a user together with a printer model ID in the printer ID management database. When the registration determining unit determines that the printer model ID received from the client host is registered in the printer ID management database, the transmitting unit transmits information about the content to the client host, and the server information When the registration judging unit judges that the printer model ID received from the client host is not registered in the printer ID management database, the transmitting unit sends information about the user together with the printer model ID to the printer ID. Management Causes registered in database, and transmits the content to the client host server. 5. A client host connected to at least one or more servers including information transmitting means for transmitting information about contents via a network, the client host receiving the information about the contents transmitted from the server, At least one connected to the client host
A client host connected by a network to at least one printer ID management database for managing at least one printer ID and a printer ID corresponding to the user corresponding to the printer type ID, the client host comprising: ID requesting means for acquiring the printer model ID of the printer, and ID transmitting means for transmitting the acquired printer model ID to the server. The server comprises: a printer model ID received from the client host.
Registration determining means for determining whether or not the information is registered in the printer ID management database; and registration processing means for registering information about a user together with a printer model ID in the printer ID management database. When the registration determining unit determines that the printer model ID received from the client host is registered in the printer ID management database, the transmitting unit transmits information about the content to the client host, and the server information When the registration judging unit judges that the printer model ID received from the client host is not registered in the printer ID management database, the transmitting unit sends information about the user together with the printer model ID to the printer ID. Management Causes registered in database, client host and transmits the content to the client host. 6. A server for transmitting information related to the content via a network, and a client host connected to a printer via the network receiving the information related to the content transmitted from the server. A printer ID management database for registering at least a printer model ID and information about a user corresponding to the printer model ID, wherein the client host sets the printer model ID of the printer to ID requesting means for acquiring, and ID transmitting means for transmitting the acquired printer model ID to the server, wherein the server is a printer model ID received from the client host.
Registration determining means for determining whether or not the information is registered in the printer ID management database; and registration processing means for registering information about a user together with a printer model ID in the printer ID management database. When the registration determining unit determines that the printer model ID received from the client host is registered in the printer ID management database, the transmitting unit transmits information about the content to the client host, and the server information When the registration judging unit judges that the printer model ID received from the client host is not registered in the printer ID management database, the transmitting unit sends information about the user together with the printer model ID to the printer ID. Management Causes registered in database, free samples provided wherein sending the content to the client host. 7. A server having information transmitting means for transmitting at least one or more computers with respect to contents via a network, a client host for receiving the information regarding the contents transmitted from the server, and a client host. A printer ID management database that manages at least a printer model ID and information about a user corresponding to the printer model ID, and the server, the client host, the A free sample providing program that realizes all functions of a printer and the printer ID management database, wherein the client host includes: an ID request unit that acquires a printer model ID of the printer; Obtained was a printer model ID a function as ID transmitting means for transmitting to the server, printer model ID received from the client host
A registration determining unit for determining whether or not the server is registered in the printer ID management database; and a registration processing unit for registering information about a user together with a printer model ID in the printer ID management database. The information transmitting means, when the registration determining means determines that the printer model ID received from the client host is registered in the printer ID management database, transmits information relating to the content to the client host; The information transmitting means, when the registration determining means determines that the printer model ID received from the client host is not registered in the printer ID management database, the information on the user is registered by the registration processing means together with the printer model ID. Printer Causes registered in D management database, free samples provided programs and transmits the content to the client host. 8. A server comprising information transmitting means for transmitting at least one or more computers with respect to content via a network, a client host for receiving the information relating to the content transmitted from the server, and a client host. A printer ID management database that manages at least a printer model ID and information about a user corresponding to the printer model ID, and the server, the client host, the A computer-readable recording medium that records a printer and a free sample providing program that realizes all functions of the printer ID management database, wherein the client host includes a pre-installed printer. An ID request unit for acquiring a printer model ID; and a function as an ID transmitting unit for transmitting the acquired printer model ID to the server. The server comprises: a printer model ID received from the client host.
A registration determining unit for determining whether or not the server is registered in the printer ID management database; and a registration processing unit for registering information about a user together with a printer model ID in the printer ID management database. The information transmitting means, when the registration determining means determines that the printer model ID received from the client host is registered in the printer ID management database, transmits information relating to the content to the client host; The information transmitting means, when the registration determining means determines that the printer model ID received from the client host is not registered in the printer ID management database, the information on the user is registered by the registration processing means together with the printer model ID. Printer Causes registered in D management database, free samples provided program and computer readable recording medium and transmits the content to the client host.