JP2003085445A - Inexpensive information server system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system to enable a supplier itself reserved by a customer to provide more inexpensive information to reservation information which is already registered by the customer in a reservation system. SOLUTION: In an inexpensive information retrieval service system provided by being connected with a computer network represented by the Internet and accessed from a user terminal, the customer performs processing for registering such information as the contents of reserved merchandise and service, a product number, a model number, a specification, a price, and other pieces of reservation content information, processing for registering the contents of the merchandise and the service, the product number, the model number, the specification, the price and other pieces of inexpensive information in a price information registration data base on the supplier's side provided to the supplier that provides the merchandise and the service, processing for retrieving the inexpensive information according to the reservation content information and which is more advantageous for the customer than the already reserved reservation information from the viewpoint of the price, etc., and processing for transmitting the retrieved information to the user terminal by accessing the inexpensive information retrieval server system from the user terminal.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a server system that is accessed from a user terminal connected to a computer network, and provides cheaper information to reservation information that is already registered by the customer in the reservation system. The present invention relates to a low-priced information server system which can be provided by the supplier himself / herself reserved by the company or other suppliers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various technical techniques for electronic commerce have been developed due to technological development of systems using computer networks represented by the Internet. Along with this, online shopping, electronic commerce between companies, individual sales and auctions, etc. have become active.

[0003]

Under these circumstances, various shops and companies have established online shopping sites, and consumers are easily able to obtain information on cheaper products and the like. For example, a so-called reverse auction method is known in which a person who can provide a product or a service at a lower price provides information and as a result receives a bid. However, in such a conventional system, although there was an effect of presenting a more favorable price to the consumer before the sale or the sale reservation is completed, once the transaction or the transaction reservation is established, it ends with that. It was a thing.

However, after a trade reservation is established, there are cases where the transaction conditions, market prices, etc. may fluctuate, and cheaper goods / services can be provided. If it can also be provided, it will be possible to provide products and services with more appropriate prices and contents, which will be convenient for consumers, and companies that provide this will also improve the favorable impression on consumers and continue to You can expect a transaction. In addition, cheaper purchasing information and the like will be gathered for businesses that provide consumers with goods and services.

On the other hand, if a system in which a plurality of businesses provide cheap information is provided, fair competition between companies will be promoted. Alternatively, for businesses that are likely to lose traditional customers due to cheap information from other companies, it will be possible to accumulate more competitiveness in the market by providing the opportunity to provide cheaper information again. become. For example, if the company finds through the system that the company B offers a cheaper trip than the one provided by the company A, and the customer transfers to this, the company A re-registers the canceled trip at a lower cost. This means that you can avoid wasting this canceled trip.

[0006] Further, for a consumer, if he / she finds cheaper information on an already established reservation, he / she will have an opportunity to switch to a cheaper transaction and the supplier will once again make a conventional reservation on the transaction market. It can also be put out for realization of a versatile mobile phone.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, therefore, in the invention described in claim 1, a user terminal connected to a computer network represented by the Internet and connected to the computer network is provided. An inexpensive information retrieval server system accessed from the server system, which comprises a system including a WWW server, a database server, and an application server, and includes a customer side price information registration database and a supplier side price information registration database. , The customer accesses the cheap information search server system from the user terminal, and the user information such as name, age, sex, address, contact information, etc. in the customer side price information registration database and reserved products and Service content, part number, model number, specifications, price , And the process of registering and other reservation content information, from the supplier terminal supplier is provided to carry out the provision of goods and services, the supplier is the supplier price information registration database, the contents of the goods and services,
The process of registering the product number, model number, specification, price, and other low-price information, and the low-price information according to the reservation content information, which is more advantageous to the customer than the reservation information already reserved in terms of price and other points. The supplier himself / herself who performs the process of searching and the process of transmitting the searched information to the user terminal, and the customer reserves the cheaper information with respect to the reservation information already registered by the customer in the reservation system. It is a low-cost information server system characterized by being able to provide.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a second aspect of the present invention is provided.
In the invention according to claim 1, in the invention according to claim 1, the supplier that registers the low-price information in the supplier-side price information registration database includes a supplier other than the one reserved by the customer. A low-priced information server system characterized in that information cheaper than the reservation information already registered by the customer in the reservation system can be registered from the supplier terminal provided by the customer himself or another supplier. It is characterized by that.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a third aspect of the present invention is provided.
In the invention described in (1), there is provided an inexpensive information retrieval server system connected to a computer network represented by the Internet and accessed from a user terminal connected to the computer network, wherein the server system is a WWW server, It is composed of a system including a database server and an application server, and includes a reservation database and a product database, and the reservation database includes details of reserved products and services reserved by customers, product numbers, model numbers, specifications, prices, Other reservation content information and user information such as customer's name, age, gender, address, contact information are stored,
The product database stores the contents of products and services provided by suppliers, product numbers, model numbers, specifications, prices, and other information, and a customer accesses the cheap information search server system from a user terminal. At this time, a process of searching cheap information corresponding to the reservation content information, which is more advantageous to the customer than the reservation information already reserved in terms of price and other points, and the searched information to the user terminal. With the process of transmitting, cheaper information is available for the reservation information already registered by the customer in the reservation system.
It is characterized by being an inexpensive information server system that can be provided by the customer who reserved by the customer.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a fourth aspect of the present invention is provided.
In the invention according to claim 3, in the invention according to claim 3, the reservation database and / or the product database includes data provided by a plurality of suppliers,
The low-cost information search server system according to claim 3 is characterized by being configured from one or a plurality of databases.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a fifth aspect of the present invention is provided.
In the invention according to claim 4, in the invention according to claim 4, the process of searching for information advantageous to the customer from the reservation information reserved in terms of price and other points is performed by using tag information such as XML, A low-cost information search server system according to claim 4, characterized in that the process is a process for searching information from a plurality of databases.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a sixth aspect of the present invention is provided.
In the invention described in (1), in the invention described in claims 1 to 5, the reservation content information registered in the customer side price information registration database or the reservation database, and the supplier side price information registration database or the product database are registered. The low-priced information includes reservation schedule, reservation schedule, reservation hotel, reservation transportation, reservation price for each, or reservation tour name and reservation schedule and price, supplier name, contact information, reservation tour name and reservation schedule and price, hotel Name and price,
The travel reservation information such as transportation name and section, departure time, arrival time and price that is cheaper than the travel reservation information already registered by the customer in the reservation system. The inexpensive information server system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which can be provided by itself or another supplier.

Further, in order to solve the above problems, a seventh aspect of the present invention is provided.
In the invention described in claim 1, in the inventions according to claims 1 to 6, when the reservation change to the cheap information extracted from the cheap information registered in the supplier side price information registration database or the commodity database is desired, Is a process for registering reservation change request data in the above-mentioned supplier side price information registration database or product database at the user terminal, and notifies the supplier reserved by the user from the cheap information server system, and the reservation details already reserved By performing the process of canceling the reservation for the information and the process of registering the reservation change in the supplier side price information registration database or the product database when the cancellation is permitted, a cheaper reservation content can be obtained. Cheap information according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is changeable. It is characterized by an over bar system.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is characterized in that
In the invention according to claim 7, in the invention according to claim 7, when the process for canceling the reservation for the reservation content information already reserved is performed in the user terminal,
For the canceled reservation content information, change the information such as making the price cheaper at the supplier terminal and register it in the supplier side price information registration database or product database The low-priced information server system according to claim 7 is characterized in that it can be sold again.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing the configuration of a basic system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a cheap information search server system is provided which is connected to a computer network typified by the Internet and is accessed from a user terminal connected to the computer network.

In a general form, the above-mentioned server system is composed of a system including a WWW server, a database server and an application server.
The configuration of the server system is not limited to this, and various forms are included. In addition, it is composed of an authentication server, mail server, and other various devices as required. FIG. 1 shows a site operator who provides a WEB site for the user to register the reservation content information that he / she has made a reservation for or to register the cheap information provided by the supplier. Such WEB site has WW provided in the above-mentioned inexpensive information retrieval server system.
It may be provided by a W server, or one or more Ws that cooperate with an inexpensive information retrieval server system.
It may be provided by a WW server. Each of these servers includes a form physically provided in the same device, a form physically composed of a plurality of devices, a form physically composed of a plurality of devices connected through a network, and the like. If similar functions are realized, various forms are included.

The server system comprises a CPU, RAM, R
A receiving unit having an OM, an HDD, a CRT, a system control unit, etc., for receiving data from a client computer, a transmitting unit for transmitting data to the client computer, a searching unit for searching data in a database according to a request from the client computer, Storage means for storing data from the client computer, calculation means for calculating time for transmitting time information to the client computer, dial-up means for dialing the user's mobile terminal, output data in the database It is composed of output means, display means and input means necessary for maintenance of the server computer and database.

The server system of the present invention comprises a storage means, a control means, an input means, an output means, a display means and the like. The control means is an operating system (O
S), a program for authenticating users, a program for controlling data extraction and data transmission / reception in cooperation with a WEB server, and a program for receiving and storing data from users and suppliers A program for generating a file to be transmitted to and displayed on the user terminal is stored and various functions are performed.

The system of the present invention is provided by being connected to a computer network represented by the Internet, and a user terminal 6 connected to the computer network.
The computer network 5 broadly includes, in addition to the Internet, a network form connected by a dedicated line, an intra-company LAN, an inter-company LAN, a WAN, etc. The form of the communication line used here includes a wide range of forms such as wire communication and wireless communication, and satellite communication and Blue communication.
Including a form using the tooth etc.

As the user terminal, a computer terminal such as a personal computer or a workstation is usually used. The computer terminal includes control means, storage means, input means, output means, display means and the like. In addition, it is usually provided with a function of connecting to a computer network typified by the Internet to send and receive data, and with an application program such as a browser, electronic mail software, a word processor, and an operating system (OS).

In addition to the above, the user terminal includes a wireless communication terminal such as a mobile phone equipped with a browser function capable of connecting to the Internet, a mobile information terminal, an Internet TV, a game machine, a video conference system, and others. It includes a wide range of appliances such as home appliances that have a network connection function.

The above-mentioned inexpensive information retrieval server system is
The first embodiment of the present invention includes a customer side price information registration database and a supplier side price information registration database. The configurations of the customer side price information registration database and the supplier side price information registration database are shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, as an example, as in the invention described in claim 6, the travel reservation information registered by the customer in the reservation system is cheaper than the travel reservation information registered by the customer, and the supplier himself or another customer It shows an example of a system that a supplier can provide. The reservation content information registered in the customer side price information registration database and the low price information registered in the supplier side price information registration database are reservation process, reservation schedule, reservation hotel, reservation transportation, each reservation price, or reservation tour. Name and reservation itinerary and price, supplier name, contact information, reservation tour name and reservation itinerary and price, hotel name and price, transportation name and section, departure time, arrival time and price, and other travel reservation information. In addition to the character information, the information registered in each database can include image information, audio information, moving image information, and other various data formats and data content information.

FIG. 8 shows a basic system configuration diagram in another embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment of the present invention, the inexpensive information search server system includes one or more reservation databases and one or more product databases. Reservation database,
The structure of the product database is shown in FIG. In FIG. 9, as an example, as in the invention described in claim 6, the travel reservation information already registered by the customer in the reservation system is provided with cheaper travel information by the supplier himself / herself or other It shows an example of a system that a supplier can provide. The reservation information registered in the reservation database is the reservation schedule, reservation schedule, hotel reservation, transportation, each reservation price, or reservation tour name and reservation schedule and price, supplier name, contact information that the customer has already reserved. , Hotel name and price, transportation name and section, departure time, arrival time and price, and other travel reservation information. The information registered in the product database is the contents and prices of the products and services provided by the supplier. Specifically, in the case of travel products, for example, itinerary, schedule, hotel, transportation, Price, or tour name and itinerary and price, supplier name, contact information, hotel name and price, transportation name and segment, departure time, arrival time and price, and other travel information. The information registered in each database includes
In addition to character information, it can include image information, audio information, moving image information, and other various data formats and data content information.

The reservation database and / or the product database may have the following structure:
It may be a system composed of one or a plurality of databases containing data provided by a plurality of suppliers. With this configuration, each of the plurality of suppliers can perform the search based on the data stored in the database provided by being connected to the computer network such as the Internet. Further, in the invention according to claim 5, the processing for searching the information which is more advantageous to the customer than the reserved information reserved in terms of price and the like is performed from a plurality of databases by using tag information such as XML. It is characterized in that it is a process for retrieving information. According to this embodiment, XML existing on the network is used.
Content can be used as data to be searched. In particular, if you use XML, you can also define your own tags, so in the case of travel products, itinerary, itinerary, hotel, transportation, price of each, or tour name and itinerary and price, supplier name, contact information , Hotel name and price,
The XML content that defines travel information such as transportation name and section, departure time, arrival time and price with each tag can be used as a search key, for example, "price = XX yen or less""date and time = You can easily perform a search such as "○ day ○ day".

The basic processing flow of the first embodiment of the inexpensive information retrieval server system of the present invention will be described below. Note that the processing flow shown here is an example showing a typical form, and is not limited to this. 3, 4, and 5 are flowcharts showing an example of the basic processing flow of the server system of the present invention.
6 and 7 show screen flows of the user terminal and the supplier terminal when the system of the present invention is used.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, the customer accesses the cheap information search server system from the user terminal and the name, age, sex, address and contact information are stored in the customer side price information registration database. A process of registering user information such as the destination, the content of the reserved product or service, the product number, the model number, the specification, the price, and other reservation content information is performed. In addition, from the supplier terminal of the supplier who provides the product or service, the supplier registers the contents of the product or service, product number, model number, specification, price, and other low-cost information in the supplier side price information registration database. To do. Also, a process of searching for cheaper information corresponding to the reservation content information, which is more advantageous to the customer than the reservation information that has been reserved in terms of price and other points, and transmitting the searched information to the user terminal. And processing.

First, a user who is a customer uses the user terminal to access the inexpensive information retrieval server system and uses the name, age, sex, address, contact information, etc. in the customer side price information registration database. A description will be given of a process of registering the person information, the content of the reserved product or service, the product number, the model number, the specification, the price, and other reservation content information.
First, when the user terminal connects to the Internet (S100) and the connection is established (S101), the URL
Is input to access the inexpensive information system server (S102). It is desirable that the user receives authentication information such as an ID and a password in advance by member registration, and then performs login by user authentication (S103). Register. When registering as a member, personal information such as the user's name and e-mail address is registered.

When the authentication process is normally performed (S10
4) A search menu or the like is displayed (S105), and the user can input the reservation content information that has been reserved (S106). As described above, the reservation content information is, for example, information regarding a hotel or inn to be stayed, transportation information such as tickets and air tickets, dates, prices, etc. It should be noted that it is not always limited to travel, and reservation content information regarding various products and services can be handled. For example, reservations for tickets for movies and concerts, reservations for beauty salons and restaurants, reservations for purchase of products to be released, and various other reservations. It can also be used for business-to-business transactions, business-to-person transactions, or reservations for sales between individuals.

Next, when inputting the reservation content information or the terminal of the user who notifies the search result, in order to simplify the input, refer to the data input table and select from the list or the like. Input is possible (S107, 1)
08). When all the items have been input, the Internet is used to communicate with the cheap information search server system, data is transmitted (S109), and the cheap information system server receives the data (S110). In the inexpensive information search server system, the received data is stored in the customer side price information registration database (S111).

Next, a process for retrieving cheap information corresponding to the reservation content information, which is more advantageous to the customer than the reservation information reserved in terms of price and other points, and the use of the retrieved information as described above. The process of transmitting to the person terminal will be described. In the inexpensive information search server system, the database search program is activated (S112). Since the reservation content information received in the above step and the data relating to the terminal of the user who notifies the search result also serve as search request data for searching cheaper information, the search request data is temporarily stored (S113). The storage management of the retrieved / extracted information is performed (S114). Next, the search request data is transmitted to the supplier side price information registration database in which the cheap information is registered (S115), and the search according to the search request is executed (S116). As a result of the search, data about cheap information that meets the search request is extracted from the supplier side price information registration database, the search result data is received by the cheap information search server system (S117), and the search result data is temporarily stored as one file. It is stored (S118).

A search result file is generated (S11
9) Then, it is transmitted to the user terminal as a search result file (S120). It is desirable that the search result be displayed on the user terminal (S121) and that the input screen for future search request is displayed on the screen (S122). When the search result is displayed (S123), the user browses a list of inexpensive information extracted as a result of the search,
You can browse information on the contents of products and services. Further, when looking at the displayed cheap information and changing the reservation from the reserved information to the cheaper information, it is possible to request the reservation change (S400). Will be described later.

Next, in FIG. 4, it is desired to be notified when the search result is notified periodically or at a desired date and time, or when cheaper and advantageous data is registered. In such a case (S124), the user inputs the search schedule on the input screen of the previous term displayed on the user terminal screen (S125). In addition, although the user's terminal for notifying the search result is input (S125),
The terminal to be notified may be a facsimile, a mobile phone or PHS, a personal digital assistant (PD) in addition to a form in which a user terminal such as a computer terminal is notified by e-mail or the like.
A), a voice mail, a telephone, and other notification methods using communication means can be adopted. After inputting, the information is sent to the cheap information search server system (S126) and received by the cheap information search server system (S1).
27), create a search schedule as a batch file (S128).

In the cheap information search server system, the search engine is started in accordance with the created batch file (S129), and as a result of the search, the data on the cheap information matching the search request is extracted from the supplier side price information registration database. The search request data received by the inexpensive information search server system is temporarily stored (S
130), the storage management of the retrieval / extraction information is performed (S13).
1).

Next, regarding the cheap information registered,
In the supplier side price information registration database, a product database in which information about various products and services is registered can be stored, and the information can be stored and managed in advance. For example, when the suppliers a and b each have registered low-price information for the same product A, information for each supplier such as price and delivery date is extracted from the supplier-side price information registration database, and the information about the product A is It can be configured to be extracted from a product database stored in advance, and the user can confirm this by browsing. Alternatively, when there is a travel product B, the content that constitutes the travel product B such as a travel tour includes the hotel C, the transportation facility D, and the tourist facility E, and the content that constitutes another travel product C is
In the case of the inn F, the transportation D, and the tourist facilities E and G, information on these products and services (such as the hotel C, the transportation D and the tourist facilities E) can be extracted from the product database, and used. The person can confirm this by browsing. In such a case, the cheap information search server system sends a search request to the product database (S132), and the search is executed (S13).
3) The search result data is received (S134). The search result data is temporarily stored as one file (S13
6), a search result file is generated (S137), and the generated search result file is transmitted to the terminal of the user who notifies the search result (S138).

Next, looking at the displayed cheap information, if it is desired to change the reservation from the reserved information to the cheaper information, it is possible to request the reservation change (S400). ), This process is demonstrated. In the invention according to claim 7, the user who receives the search result file desires to change the reservation to the cheap information extracted from the cheap information registered in the supplier side price information registration database or the product database. In this case, the process of registering the reservation change desired data in the supplier side price information registration database or product database at the user terminal, and the low cost information server system notifies the user who made the reservation, A cheaper reservation is made by performing the process of canceling the reservation for the reservation content information and the process of registering the reservation change in the supplier side price information registration database or product database when the cancellation is permitted. The feature is that the content can be changed. The supplier who receives the notification of cancellation shall register the contents of the product or service, product number, model number, specification, price, and other low-price information from the supplier terminal in the supplier price information registration database or product database. Information can be re-registered by the processing described later.

Further, in the invention described in claim 8,
If the user terminal performs processing to cancel the reservation for the reservation content information that has already been reserved, the price of the canceled reservation content information may be reduced at the supplier terminal whose reservation has been canceled. It is characterized in that the canceled reservation content information can be sold again by changing the information and performing the processing of registering it in the supplier side price information registration database or the product database. That is, when re-registering the information, the information is changed such as reducing the price.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing an example of basic processing for making a reservation change application when looking at the displayed cheap information and changing the reservation from the reserved information to the cheaper information. Is. As a result of the search, the extracted cheap information is displayed (S400), and when the user who browses this wants to change the reserved reservation to the cheap reservation (S401), the displayed cheap information is displayed. , Select the one you want to reserve and display the reservation menu (S
402). The reservation menu is, for example, a WEB page hyperlinked from inexpensive information, and it is desirable to provide an input form for inputting and transmitting a reservation change request. If you send a request to change the reservation (S
403), the cheap information server system receives the data (S404), the data indicating the reservation desire is stored in the supplier side price information registration database, and the temporary reservation is made (S405). Next, since the user has already booked,
It is necessary to confirm whether this can be canceled. Therefore, the inexpensive information server system refers to the reserved data registered by the user (S406), extracts the supplier from the registered reserved data, and transmits the cancellation request data to the corresponding supplier terminal. (S407), the user is prompted to answer whether to accept the cancellation (S408). When the cheap information server system receives the reply that the reservation cannot be changed, the fact is transmitted to the user terminal to notify it (S40).
9). If cancellation is possible (S408),
Whether or not the reservation information in case of cancellation is registered in the supplier side price information registration database is input / transmitted in the corresponding supplier terminal (S410), and in the case of registration, necessary items such as price are registered in the supplier terminal. It is input / transmitted and stored in the supplier side price information registration database (S411). Next, the cancellation is completed, and the temporary reservation stored in the supplier side price information registration database is changed to the official reservation (S41).
2) Then, the reservation is changed, and the completion of the reservation change is transmitted to the user and notified (S413).

Next, from the supplier terminal provided in the supplier who provides the goods and services, the supplier stores the contents of the goods and services, product number, model number, specification, price, and other cheap information in the supplier side price information registration database. The registration process will be described. 8 and 11 are flowcharts showing an example of the basic processing flow of the server system of the present invention. Further, FIG. 12 shows a screen flow when the system of the present invention is used in the user terminal and the supplier terminal. First, connect to the Internet at the supplier's terminal (S200),
When the connection is established (S201), the cheap information system server is accessed by inputting the URL (S20).
2). When the supplier is authenticated (S203) and the authentication process is normally performed (S204), a search menu or the like is displayed, and inexpensive information can be registered.
It is desirable for the supplier to receive authentication information such as an ID and a password by membership registration in advance and to log in by authentication. If membership is not registered in advance, registration is performed here. When registering as a member, information such as the supplier's company name, name, and email address is registered.

As described above, the cheap information is, for example, a hotel or an inn to be stayed, information on transportation such as tickets and air tickets, schedule, price, etc. It should be noted that it is not always limited to travel, and reservation content information regarding various products and services can be handled. For example, reservations for tickets for movies and concerts, reservations for beauty salons and restaurants, reservations for purchase of products to be released, and various other reservations. Further, the supplier is not limited to a corporation such as a company, but can be used for business-to-business transactions, business-to-business transactions, or reservations for sales between individuals. In the supplier terminal, inexpensive information is input (S206). The information input here includes various information such as information for specifying a product or service, contents, specifications, quantity, etc. in addition to price. Including information, such as travel products, hotels, inns,
Information such as tickets, tickets, dates, prices, etc. are given as examples. When the information has been input, it is connected to the Internet and transmitted (S207), and the transmitted data is received by the inexpensive information retrieval server system (S208).
The data is stored in the supplier side price information registration database, and the registration is completed (S209).

Although the basic processing flow of the present invention has been described above, the first embodiment of the system of the present invention is as follows.
With respect to the reservation information already registered by the customer in the reservation system, cheaper information is provided by the supplier himself / herself who made the reservation.

A second embodiment of the present invention is, like the invention described in claim 3, a system which is connected to a cheap information search server system and comprises a reservation database and a product database. The reservation database described above uses the customer's name, age, sex, address, contact information, etc. of the reserved goods and services reserved by the customer, product number, model number, specifications, price, and other reservation content information. Personal information is stored, and the product database stores the contents of products and services provided by suppliers, product numbers, model numbers, specifications, prices, and other information. Based on the reserved information stored in the reservation database provided by the supplier, etc., without entering / transmitting the reserved information when the customer accesses the cheap information search server system from the user terminal, the product The database is searched, the process of searching for information that is more advantageous to the customer than the reserved information that has been reserved in terms of price and other points, and the process of transmitting the searched information to the user terminal are performed. Provides cheaper information to the reservation information registered by.

First, the user terminal connects to the Internet (S300) and the connection is established (S30).
1) Access the cheap information system server by inputting the URL (S302). The user is
It is desirable that the user is authenticated (S303) to log in after receiving authentication information such as an ID and a password by membership registration. If no member registration is performed in advance, registration is performed here. When registering as a member, personal information such as the user's name and e-mail address is registered.

When the authentication process is normally performed (S30
4) A search menu or the like is displayed (S305), and the user can display a reservation data list or the like that has been reserved for viewing or confirmation (S306). Reservation content information,
As described above, examples of reservations related to travel and the like include information on hotels and inns to be stayed, information on transportation means such as tickets and air tickets, dates, prices, and the like. It should be noted that it is not always limited to travel, and reservation content information regarding various products and services can be handled. For example, reservations for tickets for movies and concerts, reservations for beauty salons and restaurants, reservations for purchase of products to be released, and various other reservations.

Next, the data for designating the user terminal to which the search result is notified is input, and if necessary, the corresponding reservation data is designated from the reservation data list (S3
07) At the time of input, in order to simplify the input, it is possible to refer to the data input table (S308) and select from a list or the like to input (S309). When all the items have been input, the Internet is used to communicate with the cheap information search server system, data is transmitted (S310), and the data is received by the cheap information system server (S31).
1).

Next, a process for retrieving cheap information corresponding to the reservation content information, which is more advantageous to the customer than the reservation information already reserved in terms of price and the like, and the retrieved information is used as described above. The process of transmitting to the person terminal will be described. In the inexpensive information search server system, the database search program is activated (S312). The database search program received in the above step,
The data related to the terminal of the user who notifies the search result and the corresponding reservation data specified from the reservation data list are also search request data for searching cheaper information, so the search request data is temporarily stored. Yes (S31
3), storage management of search / extraction information is performed (S31)
4). Next, the search request data is transmitted to the supplier side price information registration database in which the cheap information is registered (S315), and the search according to the search request is executed (S316). As a result of the search, data about cheap information matching the search request is extracted from the product database, the search result data is received by the cheap information search server system (S317), and the search result data is temporarily stored as one file (S318). ).

A search result file is generated (S31
9) Then, it is transmitted to the user terminal as a search result file (S320). It is desirable that the search result be displayed on the user terminal (S321), and that the input screen for future search request is displayed on the screen (S322). When the search result is displayed, the user can browse a list of inexpensive information extracted as a result of the search, or browse information on the contents of products and services. Also,
When looking at the displayed cheap information and changing the reservation from the reserved information to the cheaper information, it is possible to request the reservation change (S400).
This processing is the same as the above-mentioned processing, and therefore will be omitted.

When the user wants to be notified of the search results regularly or at a desired date and time, or wants to be notified when cheaper and advantageous data is registered, the user is The search schedule is input on the input screen displayed on the user terminal screen (S32).
3). Further, although the user's terminal to be notified of the search result is input (S324), the terminal to be notified is not limited to the form in which the user terminal such as a computer terminal is notified by e-mail, etc. Or PHS, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a voice mail, a telephone, and other notification methods using communication means can be adopted. After input, send to the cheap information search server system (S32
5) Upon receipt by the inexpensive information search server system (S326), a search schedule is created as a batch file (S327).

In the cheap information search server system, the search engine is started according to the created batch file (S328), and as a result of the search, the data on the cheap information matching the search request is extracted from the supplier side price information registration database. The search request data received by the inexpensive information search server system is temporarily stored (S
329), the storage / management of the retrieved / extracted information is performed (S33).
0).

Next, the inexpensive information search server system sends a search request to the product database (S3
31), the search is executed (S332), and the search result data is received (S333). The search result data is temporarily stored as one file (S335), a search result file is generated (S336), and the generated search result file is transmitted to the terminal of the user who notifies the search result (S337).

[0050]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, this can be provided even after a transaction reservation is established, and a product or service of a more appropriate price and content can be provided. Not only will it be convenient for consumers, but companies that provide it will also be more favorable to consumers and will be able to expect continuous transactions. For businesses that provide consumers with goods and services,
More inexpensive purchasing information will be gathered.

If a system in which a plurality of businesses provide inexpensive information is provided, fair competition between companies will be promoted. Alternatively, for businesses that are likely to lose traditional customers due to cheap information from other companies, it will be possible to accumulate more competitiveness in the market by providing the opportunity to provide cheaper information again. become. Furthermore, for the consumer, when he / she finds cheaper information for a reservation that has already been established, the chance to switch to a cheaper transaction realizes a versatile transaction form.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a basic system configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing configurations of a customer side price information registration database and a supplier side price information registration database.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a basic processing flow of the server system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a basic processing flow of the server system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a basic processing flow of the server system of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a screen flow in a user terminal and a supplier terminal when the system of the present invention is used.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a screen flow when a system of the present invention is used in a user terminal and a supplier terminal.

FIG. 8 is a system configuration diagram showing a basic system configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing configurations of a reservation database and a product database.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a basic processing flow of the server system of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a basic processing flow of the server system of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a screen flow when a system of the present invention is used in a user terminal and a supplier terminal.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of performing a reservation changing process as an embodiment using the system of the present invention.

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Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A low-cost information retrieval server system which is connected to a computer network represented by the Internet and is accessed from a user terminal connected to the computer network, wherein the server system is a WWW server or a database server. Consists of a system, including an application server,
A price information registration database for the customer side and a price information registration database for the supplier side are provided, and the customer accesses the low-cost information search server system from the user terminal,
Name, age, in the customer side price information registration database
The process of registering user information such as gender, address, contact information, etc., the contents of reserved products and services, product numbers, model numbers, specifications, prices, and other reservation content information, and the suppliers who provide products and services. The process of registering the contents of goods and services, product number, model number, specifications, price, and other low-price information from the supplier terminal provided in the supplier in the price-information registration database on the supplier side, and the low-price according to the reservation content information. A process of searching for information that is more advantageous to the customer than reservation information that has already been reserved in terms of price and other points,
Performing a process of transmitting the retrieved information to the user terminal, and the supplier himself / herself who has made a reservation for the customer can provide cheaper information to the reservation information already registered by the customer in the reservation system. An inexpensive information server system characterized by 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the supplier that registers the low-price information in the supplier-side price information registration database includes a supplier other than the one reserved by the customer. An inexpensive information server system characterized in that information cheaper than the reservation information already registered by the customer in the system can be registered from the supplier himself / herself or the supplier terminal provided by another supplier. 3. An inexpensive information retrieval server system, which is connected to a computer network represented by the Internet and is accessed from a user terminal connected to the computer network, wherein the server system is a WWW server or a database server. Consists of a system, including an application server,
A reservation database and a product database are provided, and the reservation database includes details of reserved products and services reserved by the customer, product numbers, model numbers, specifications, prices, and other reservation content information, and the customer's name and age. User information such as gender, address, and contact information is stored, and the product database stores the contents of products and services provided by suppliers, product numbers, model numbers, specifications, prices, and other information. When the customer accesses the cheap information search server system from the user terminal, it is cheap information according to the reservation content information, which is more advantageous to the customer than the reserved reservation information in terms of price and other points. The process of retrieving information and the process of transmitting the retrieved information to the user terminal are performed, and the reservation information already registered by the customer in the reservation system More inexpensive information, and wherein the customer is possible that can be provided by the supplier itself reserved, low-cost information server system. 4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein the reservation database and / or the product database are:
The inexpensive information retrieval server system according to claim 3, wherein the inexpensive information retrieval server system comprises one or a plurality of databases containing data provided by a plurality of suppliers. 5. In the invention according to claim 4, the process of searching for information that is more advantageous to the customer than the reservation information that has been reserved in terms of price and other points is performed by using a plurality of tag information such as XML. 5. The inexpensive information search server system according to claim 4, which is a process of searching information from a database. 6. The invention according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the reservation content information registered in the customer side price information registration database or the reservation database and the low cost registered in the supplier side price information registration database or the commodity database. Information can be booked itinerary, booked itinerary, booked hotel, booked transportation, booked price, or booked tour name and booked itinerary price, supplier name, contact information, booked tour name and booked itinerary and price, hotel name and The travel reservation information such as price, transportation name and section, departure time, arrival time and price, which is cheaper than the travel reservation information already registered by the customer in the reservation system, is booked by the customer. The low-cost information server system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it can be provided by the supplier itself or another supplier. Stem. 7. The invention according to any one of claims 1 to 6, when the reservation change to the cheap information extracted from the cheap information registered in the supplier side price information registration database or the commodity database is desired, The process of registering the reservation change desired data in the supplier side price information registration database at the user terminal, and the low cost information server system notifies the supplier that the user has made a reservation to make a reservation for the already reserved reservation information. It is possible to change to a cheaper reservation content by performing a process of canceling and a process of registering a reservation change in the supplier side price information registration database when the cancellation is permitted. The inexpensive information server system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 8. The invention according to claim 7, wherein when the user terminal performs a process of canceling the reservation for the reservation content information that has already been reserved, a reservation is made for the canceled reservation content information. It is possible to resell the canceled reservation content information by changing the information such as making the price cheaper at the canceled supplier terminal and registering it in the supplier side price information registration database or product database The low-cost information server system according to claim 7, characterized in that.