JP2003030198A - Merchandise information providing method, server and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To comparatively easily specify merchandise whose information is desired by a user, when providing information on merchandise. SOLUTION: When providing the information on merchandise on a network, the retrieving condition of the merchandise is received by a server via the network, the merchandise is retrieved on the server from a database in which the merchandise information including the picture of the merchandise is stored, and the result of retrieval is sent back to a client terminal. In the database, the picture of the merchandise is stored and when the picture of the merchandise is added to a retrieving condition, the merchandise can be retrieved with the picture as a retrieval key.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technology for providing product information, and mainly to a technology for providing product information on a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Information on merchandise can be obtained from bound catalogs or, more recently, by accessing homepages of manufacturers and dealers on networks such as the Internet. In this case, the user needs to specify in some form the product for which information is desired. Generally, it is necessary to identify the product by product name, product number, etc.
By relying on these, we will seek out product information.

[0003]

However, it is not always easy to know the manufacturer, product name, product number, etc. of a product that has been seen a little while on the go. Therefore, the user cannot obtain the detailed information of the product, which will not lead to the purchase of the product. This is not preferable because the manufacturer and the dealer lose the opportunity to sell the product.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to allow a user to specify a product for which information is desired relatively easily when providing product information.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a merchandise information providing method for providing merchandise information on a network by using a server for providing merchandise information, the method comprising: A step of receiving a search condition of a product, a search process of executing a search of a product from a database in which product information including an image of a product is accumulated by the server based on the search condition; A step of returning at least a part of the product information of the obtained product via the network, wherein in the search step, when the image of the product to be searched is included in the search condition, Product information characterized by executing a search by collating the image of the product to be searched with the image of the product stored in the database Test method is provided.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a server for providing merchandise information on a network, means for receiving merchandise search conditions via the network, and an image of the merchandise on the basis of the search conditions. The search including a search means for executing a search for a product from a database accumulating product information including; and a means for returning at least a part of the product information of the product obtained by the search through the network. The means, when the search condition includes an image of the product to be searched, an image of the product to be searched,
A server is provided which is characterized by executing a search by collating the images of the products stored in the database.

Further, according to the present invention, a server for providing merchandise information on a network, means for receiving a merchandise search condition via the network, and merchandise information including an image of the merchandise based on the search condition. A search function for executing a search for a product from a database that stores the stored data, and a means for returning at least a part of the product information of the product obtained by the search through the network. When the search condition includes an image of the product to be searched, the means executes the search by matching the image of the product to be searched with the image of the product stored in the database. A program characterized by the above is provided.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a product information providing method for providing product information on a network, comprising the step of receiving product search conditions via the network.
A search step of executing a search for a product from a database that stores product information including a product image based on the search condition, and at least a part of the product information of the product obtained by the search via the network. When the search condition includes an image of a product to be searched, the image of the product to be searched and the image of the product stored in the database are included in the search step. A product information providing method characterized by executing a search by collating the.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a system capable of realizing the product information providing method of the present invention.

The system comprises a server 1, a client terminal 2, and a network 3 such as the Internet for communicatively connecting them.

The server 1 is used to provide merchandise information on the network 3, retrieves merchandise and returns the information in response to a request from a terminal connected to the network 3. The client terminal 2 is a terminal that accesses the server 1 to request a product search and receives the information, and includes, for example, a personal computer, a mobile phone, and other devices capable of communicating with the network 3.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the server 1. The server 1 includes a CPU 11, a ROM 12 in which fixed data and programs are stored,
A communication interface 1 that performs communication processing between the RAM 13 in which variable data and the like are stored and the network 3.
4, an input / output interface 15 to which a keyboard, a display, etc. are connected, and a hard disk 16 for storing application programs and product information databases
And

In this embodiment, the product information database is stored in the hard disk 16 inside the server 1. However, the external storage device of the server 1 or the server 1 may be used.
It may be stored in another server that can communicate with.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of product information stored in the product information database. The product information indicates, for each product, character information such as a product genre, a detailed genre of the product, a manufacturer, a product name, a product number, and a consumable product, or information of a site that introduces the product or a consumable product of the product. It includes information about the product, such as related links.
Further, in the present embodiment, the image of the product is also included in the product information.

The example shown in FIG. 3 includes images obtained by photographing products such as front, right side, left side, upper side and diagonal from multiple directions. In the example of FIG. 3, the product information includes the storage destination of the data of each image, but the image data itself may be included in the product information. In the present embodiment, this image is provided to the client computer 2 as product information and also used for product search.

Next, the procedure for searching for products and providing product information in the system will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure in which the server 1 searches for a product in response to a request from the client terminal 2 and sends the information to the client terminal 2.

In S401, the client terminal 2 accesses the product search site of the server 1 via the network 3. In S402, the server 1 is the client terminal 2
Submit a blank form to enter your search criteria. In S403, the client terminal 2 displays the received form on its display or the like.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a form for inputting search conditions displayed on the client terminal 2. This form has an item 51 for designating an image as an item for designating a search condition, and an item 52 for designating character information here as a condition other than the image.

In the item 51, the storage destination in the client terminal 2 in which the image file of the product to be searched is stored can be designated. The item 51 is divided into a front face, a side face, a top face, and a slant according to the shooting direction of the image of the product, and one or more can be designated. When the storage destination of the image file is designated, the client terminal 2 reads the image file and displays the image in the preview area 53. The image of the product may be taken by a digital camera by oneself, or it may be stored in the client terminal 2 by reading a photograph etc. published in a catalog, an advertisement, a magazine or the like with a scanner and digitizing it. .

In the item 52, a character string can be input as a search condition in this embodiment. The items 52 are divided into small items such as a product genre, a detailed genre of the product, a manufacturer, a product name, and a product number, and information that the user of the client terminal 2 knows can be input. Each small item is provided with a check box for designating the degree of accuracy of information input to each small item, such as "maybe" and "certain". The degree of accuracy of such information can be reflected in the search for product information in the server 1.

Returning to the flowchart of FIG. 4, S404
Then, the user of the client terminal 2 inputs the search condition. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a form in which search conditions are input. In the example of FIG. 6, the image of the front of the product is specified as the image of the product to be searched, and the preview area 5
The specified image is displayed in the front area of No. 3. Further, "printer" is specified as the product genre, and the "certain" check box is checked as the degree of accuracy of the information. Furthermore, "Canon" is specified as the manufacturer, and the "maybe" check box is checked as the degree of accuracy of the information.

Next, when the "start search" button in FIG. 6 is pressed, the search conditions are transmitted from the client terminal 2 to the server 1 in S405. That is, in S404, the character information input by the user to the client terminal 2 as the search condition,
The degree of accuracy of the information and the image data will be transmitted to the server 1. Information on the shooting direction such as the front surface or the right side surface can be added to the image data.

In step S406, the server 1 that has received the search condition executes a search for the product whose product information is stored in the product information server based on the search condition. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a product search process executed on the server 1.

In step S801, the product information is read from the product information database, the character information included in the search condition is used as a search key and collated with the character information stored in the product information database, and a product having the same information is picked up.
In the example described with reference to FIG. 6, for example, a product whose product genre is “printer” is picked up.

In this case, character information having a high degree of accuracy can be preferentially searched for. In the example described with reference to FIG. 6, the “printer” has the check box of “certain” checked, and the “canon” has the check box of “maybe” checked. Therefore, for example, the "printer" can be searched as the character information having a high degree of accuracy, using this as a preferential search key. And as a result of the matching,
When there are many matching products, it is possible to further narrow down the search by using "canon" as the search key.

Of course, for character information with a low degree of accuracy such as "Kanon", it is used as a search key to narrow down only when there are many hit products as the final result of the search of this product information. You could also

Next, in S802, it is determined whether or not image data is included in the search condition. If it is not included, the process proceeds to S805, and if it is included, the process proceeds to S803.

In step S803, the received image data is preprocessed. Here, the image data is processed so that the image matching performed in the next step S804 is preferably performed. For example, a background part is deleted, an edge enhancement process is performed, or a process such as conversion into a predetermined format is performed.

When the received image includes images of a plurality of products, an image of one of the products is automatically selected, or the image data is returned to the client terminal 2, It is also possible to request retransmission so that the image of one product is included.

In S804, the image of the product picked up in S801 is read from the product information database and collated with the image subjected to the preprocessing in S803. Then, a product whose image is the same or similar is picked up. The image matching can be performed by, for example, matching by extracting feature points, pattern recognition, or the like.

In this case, it is possible to collate the received image with the image having the same shooting direction. In the example described with reference to FIG. 6, the front image of the product is designated. Therefore, it is possible to match the front image of the product among the product images accumulated in the image information database. Further, even when there are a plurality of received images and the shooting directions are different from each other, it is possible to collate the images with the same shooting direction.

By thus comparing images having the same shooting direction with each other, the accuracy of retrieval can be improved.
However, it is also possible to collate images having different shooting directions.

In S805, the product information of the product picked up in S804 or S801 is read from the product information database, and the search process is terminated. The read product information is transmitted to the client terminal 2 as a search result. In this case, all of the product information accumulated in the product information database may be provided to the user of the client terminal 2, or a part thereof may be provided. The range of the product information provided may be selectable by the user.

When the number of products picked up as the search result is large, for example, only a predetermined number of products can be set as the search result. In this case, the user of the client terminal 2 can specify the number of products required as a search result as a search condition.

The method of searching for products described with reference to FIG. 8 is merely an example, and various methods can be adopted. For example, in the above-described example, the character information is first collated and then the image is collated. However, the image may be collated first, and then the character information may be collated to narrow down. Also, points are given depending on the degree of matching or similarity in collation of character information and collation of images,
You can also pick up the ones with the highest number of points as search results.

Returning to the flowchart of FIG. 4, in S407, the search result is created in the server 1 and is returned (transmitted) to the client terminal 2. The search result is S406.
It is created based on the product information of the product that has been picked up as a result of the product information search.

In step S408, the client terminal 2 receiving the search result displays the search result on its display or the like. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the search result.

In the example of FIG. 7, an image of the searched product is displayed in the area 71, and front, right side, left side, top and diagonal images are displayed. By displaying the images of the product photographed from various directions in this way, the user can understand the product as if to pick it up.

In the area 72, a product genre, a detailed genre, a maker, a product name, and a product number are displayed as information for specifying the product.

Further, in the area 72, the address of the site on the network 3 which provides information related to the product is displayed as a related link, for example, the home page of the manufacturer of the product or the consumable item of the product. Addresses of pages and the like that provide related information are displayed. This allows the user to quickly obtain detailed information about the product or consumable items related to the product.

If the tabs 1 to 5 at the top of the screen are selected, the next candidate will be displayed. Also, if you press the "To purchase page" button, you can move to the page for purchasing the product and purchase the product.

As described above, according to this embodiment, since the product image can be searched using the image of the product as a search key, the user can easily specify the product for which information is desired.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the object of the present invention is to supply a system or apparatus with a software program for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiment, and to execute the system or apparatus's operation. It goes without saying that this can also be achieved by the computer (or CPU or MPU) reading and executing the program.

In this case, the program itself realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the program, the storage medium storing the program or the program product constitutes the present invention. Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an operating system (OS) running on the computer based on the instructions of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where some or all of the actual processing is performed and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing is also included.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in the memory provided in the function expansion card inserted in the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code. Needless to say, this also includes a case where a CPU or the like included in the function expansion card or the function expansion unit performs a part or all of the actual processing and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention, the user can specify the product for which information is desired relatively easily when providing the product information.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a system capable of realizing a product information providing method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a server 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of product information stored in a product information database.

FIG. 4 shows the server 1 in response to a request from the client terminal 2.
Is a flowchart showing a procedure for searching for a product and transmitting the information to the client terminal 2.

5 is a diagram showing an example of a form for inputting search conditions, which is displayed on the client terminal 2. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a form in which search conditions are input.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a search result.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of product information search processing executed on the server 1.

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A merchandise information providing method for providing merchandise information on a network using a server for providing merchandise information, the method comprising: receiving a search condition for a merchandise by the server via the network. A search step of executing, by the server, a product search based on the search condition from a database in which product information including product images is accumulated; and at least the product information of the product obtained by the search by the server. And a step of returning a part thereof via the network, wherein in the search step, when the search condition includes an image of a product to be searched, the image of the product to be searched and the database are searched. A product information providing method, characterized in that a search is executed by collating the stored image of the product. 2. The product information providing method according to claim 1, wherein the image of the product accumulated in the database includes images of the product viewed from multiple directions. 3. In the search step, when the search condition includes an image of a product to be searched and information indicating a direction of the product indicated by the image, at least the image of the product to be searched and the image. 3. The product information according to claim 2, wherein the search is performed by collating the image of the product accumulated in the database viewed from the same direction as the product direction indicated by. How to provide. 4. The product information providing method according to claim 1, wherein the product information accumulated in the database includes a product image and character information for identifying the product. 5. In the search step, if the search condition includes an image of a product to be searched and character information specifying the product, the image of the product to be searched and the character information, and the database. The product information providing method according to claim 4, wherein the search is performed by collating the image of the product and the character information accumulated in the item. 6. In the searching step, if the search condition includes the character information specifying the product together with the degree of accuracy of the character information, the character information having a higher degree of accuracy is prioritized. The product information providing method according to claim 5, wherein: 7. A server for providing merchandise information on a network, means for receiving merchandise search conditions via the network, and merchandise information including images of merchandise is accumulated based on the search conditions. Search means for performing a search for products from the database; and means for returning at least a part of the product information of the products obtained by the search via the network,
When the search condition includes an image of a product to be searched, the search means collates the image of the product to be searched with the image of the product stored in the database. , A server characterized by performing a search. 8. A server for providing merchandise information on a network, means for receiving merchandise search conditions via the network, and a merchandise from a database accumulating merchandise information including images of merchandise based on the search conditions. Is a program for functioning as a means for executing at least one part of the product information of the product obtained by the search through the network, wherein the search means is the search condition. In the case where the image of the product to be searched is included in, the program for executing the search by collating the image of the product to be searched with the image of the product stored in the database. . 9. A merchandise information providing method for providing merchandise information on a network, comprising: receiving merchandise search conditions via the network; and merchandise information including an image of a merchandise based on the search conditions. A search step of executing a search for a product from a database that stores the data, a step of returning at least a part of the product information of the product obtained by the search via the network,
In the search step, when the search condition includes an image of a product to be searched, by comparing the image of the product to be searched with the image of the product stored in the database, A method for providing product information, which comprises performing a search.