JP2003263485A - Contents output processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a contents output processor for wiping out a user's dissatisfied feeling about a charge and improving the entertainment. <P>SOLUTION: A CPU 11 receives the specification of contents and the input of a budget from an operation part 14. The CPU 11 acquires the management information including the specified contents charge or the like from a contents server 2. The CPU 11 calculates the total cost including a charge required for an output. The CPU 11 presents the contents and its output mode capable of being output to a user within the range of budgets. The user selects a desired mode from the presented contents output mode. The CPU 11 outputs the contents in the output mode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a content output device that searches for, acquires, and outputs content from a server or the like that provides the content.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the development of network technology,
A wide variety of information can be acquired via a network. In order to serve users who want to receive information services via such networks, digital color multi-function peripherals connected to networks have been deployed in stores such as convenience stores and print shops. By using this digital color multi-function peripheral, the user is provided with various services such as a print service of paid contents.

Conventionally, print services for paid contents have been performed in the following procedure. That is, in response to the user's designated input of the content, the designated content and its charge information are acquired through the network, and the content charge indicated in the acquired charge information and the communication charge are acquired. Then, the service fee is calculated by adding the print fee and the printing fee, and the calculated service fee is presented to the user to request payment. Here, when the user pays the fee, the content is printed.

[0004]

However, according to the above-described conventional method of providing services, the fee is presented after the content is acquired, and the user can see the useful information while paying attention to the fee. It was a dissatisfied service, such as being unable to print. Therefore, there are places where there is a service that prints the content at a flat fee, but in this case, the flat fee has to be decided by referring to the average user service usage situation. As a person, for example, even if he / she only wants to receive a small amount of service, he / she has the impression that he / she will be required to pay a high fee, and in the end, most of the dissatisfaction cannot be resolved.

Further, in the conventional content service,
In combination with the above-mentioned fee, only the content specified by the user was acquired, so it was premised that the user had an approximate knowledge of the content in advance. Therefore, users can not only experience what they expected at most, but can not experience the pleasure of getting more than expected and the unexpected feeling when something different from what was expected is obtained, and the content There is no entertainment in using the service.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a content output processing device which can eliminate user's dissatisfaction regarding charges and can improve entertainment.

[0007]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention for solving the problems of the above-mentioned conventional example is a content output processing apparatus, and is information on a search condition of content which is a candidate for an output target and its charge restriction condition. , A means for searching at least one content that satisfies the search condition and the charge restriction condition and a list of contents found by the search are selected as acquisition target candidates for the user. It is characterized in that it includes means for presenting as much as possible and means for acquiring and outputting the content selected from the acquisition target candidates.

[0008] Here, the means for retrieving the content receives the instruction regarding the output mode, and satisfies the rate limiting condition based on the rate of the output in the output aspect and the fee of the content. It is preferable to search the content.

Further, the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems of the conventional example is a content output processing apparatus, which inputs a search condition of content which is a candidate for an output target and information regarding the charge restriction condition. In response, a means for searching at least one content that satisfies the search condition and the charge restriction condition, a means for randomly selecting a content to be output from the content found by the search, and the selected And a means for acquiring and outputting the content.

Further, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a content output processing method, wherein a search condition for a content that is a candidate for an output target and information regarding a charge limiting condition thereof are input, and the search condition and the search condition are input. A step of searching for at least one content satisfying the charge restriction condition; a step of presenting a list of contents found by the search to a user as acquisition target candidates in a selectable manner; And acquiring and outputting the content selected from.

Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a content output processing method, wherein the search condition of the content which is a candidate for the output target and the information regarding the charge restriction condition are input, and the search condition is received. And a step of searching for at least one content satisfying the charge restriction condition, a step of randomly selecting a content to be output from the content found by the search, and acquiring and outputting the selected content. And a step of performing.

Further, the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems of the conventional example is a content output processing program executed by a computer, and relates to a search condition for content which is a candidate for an output target and a charge restriction condition therefor. A procedure for searching for at least one content that satisfies the search condition and the charge restriction condition in response to input of information, and a list of the content found by the search, to the user as acquisition target candidates. It is characterized in that the computer is made to execute the procedure of presenting in a selectable manner and the procedure of acquiring and outputting the content selected from the acquisition target candidates.

Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, the content output processing program is configured to receive the input of the search condition of the content that is a candidate for the output target and the information regarding the charge restriction condition, and the search condition is received. And a procedure for searching at least one content that satisfies the charge restriction condition, a procedure for randomly selecting a content to be output from the content found by the search, and acquiring and outputting the selected content. And a computer to execute the procedure.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the content output processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention has a CPU 1
1, a storage unit 12, a charge management unit 13, and an operation unit 14
A network interface unit 15 and a printing unit 16
It is configured to include and. Further, this content output device is connected to a plurality of content servers 2a, 2b ... Through a network.

The CPU 11 operates according to a program stored in the storage unit 12, and performs a process of searching and acquiring contents and a printing process according to an instruction from a user. These processes of the CPU 11 will be described in detail later. The CPU 11 implements each unit of the present invention as software.

The storage unit 12 is a ROM (Read Only Memor).
y), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a storage device such as a hard disk, and operates as a program to be executed by the CPU 11 or a work memory for processing by the CPU 11. For example, ROM is CP
A program for initialization, which is executed when U11 is started up, is held, and the RAM is used when the acquired content data is expanded into image data for printing.

The billing management unit 13 is connected to a so-called coin kit or the like and holds information regarding the amount of money inserted. The operation unit 14 includes a display (for example, a liquid crystal panel) and a transparent touch panel arranged so as to overlay the display, and displays a user interface screen on the display according to an instruction input from the CPU 11 and displays the touch panel on the touch panel. The contents of the user's operation performed by the user are transmitted to the CPU 11. The network interface unit 15 is connected to a network, for example, the Internet, and retrieves and acquires contents and the like from a Web server (not shown) via the network. The printing unit 16 is, for example, a color printer, and prints out the content according to an instruction input from the CPU 11.

Each content server 2 stores contents and
It stores content management information, and sends the content to the content output device in response to the content acquisition request, and also sends the content management information to the content output device in response to the management information request. To do. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the content management information is information in which information for identifying the content (content name or the like), the fee of the content, the number of pages, and the data size are associated with each other. .

Now, the processing of the CPU 11 will be described. Upon receiving the content output request, the CPU 11
The process shown in FIG. 3 is started on the display of the operation unit 14. In this process, the CPU 11 first displays a service initial screen as shown in FIG. 4 (S1).
On this screen, the user can specify a place (address) as a content search condition (A), specify a budget as a charge limit condition (B), and set print conditions (C). It is like this.

Although an example of inputting an address as a content search condition will be described here, the content may be selected from a list of content services or a list of content itself, or a keyword or the like may be selected. You may make it accept as a search condition.

When the CPU 11 receives a search condition such as a content address from the user on this screen,
The management information of the content satisfying the search condition is acquired via the network (S2). Since the address of the content is specified here, the management information of the content specified by the address will be acquired. However, when a keyword etc. is input as the search condition, the management information of multiple contents related to the keyword is acquired. Will be obtained.

Based on the acquired management information of the content and the charge restriction condition input in the process S1, the CPU 11 generates information about the output mode that can be specified within the input charge restriction condition for the content. (S
3). That is, for example, when the number of pages of the content is 2 pages from the acquired management information, the output mode of the content is a mode in which the content of 2 pages is reduced and printed on one side of one sheet (pattern 1). And 1
Aspect in which the content of each page is printed on both sides of a sheet of paper (Pattern 2) and an aspect in which the content of each page is printed on one side of two sheets of paper (Pattern 3)
If and can be selected, the charge for printing is generally different for each mode. That is, with regard to the pattern 1, only one sheet is required, and since printing is performed on only one side, it can be expected that toner consumption is low. Here, it is assumed that the charge for pattern 1 is 60 yen, for example. Further, in the case of pattern 2, only one sheet is required, but since it is necessary to print on both sides, it is more expensive than pattern 1
It is 0 yen. Further, in the case of pattern 3 using two sheets, 120 yen is set as an even higher fee.

Then, when 10 yen is uniformly counted as the communication charge for acquiring the content, for example, if the charge of the content itself described in the management information is 80 yen, the total cost for printing the pattern 1 Is calculated as 80 + 10 + 60 = 150 yen, and similarly, 80 + 10 + 90 = 180 yen for pattern 2 and 80 + 10 + 120 = 210 yen for pattern 3. Here, if the fee limiting condition input by the user is 200 yen, pattern 1 and pattern 2 are generated as the output mode information that can be designated. Here, the presentation of each pattern is
For example, it is performed in the state as shown in FIGS.

Further, when a plurality of contents are obtained by searching as output candidates and the management information about each content is acquired, the information regarding the output mode that can be designated is generated for each content. For example, even if the content has the same two pages and the charge restriction condition is 200 yen, but the charge of the content itself is 80 yen, pattern 3 (210 yen) cannot be specified. , If the content is 50 yen, pattern 3
Is 50 + 10 + 120 = 180 yen, and therefore pattern 3 can be designated for this content. Note that free content is also conceivable, in which case the content fee is calculated as "0".

The printing conditions include those that are not specified, such as color / monochrome, but for the printing conditions that are not specified in this way, default setting values are used, or as much as possible within the budget. Try to set good ones (priorities are given in advance).

The CPU 11 generates information on the output mode in this way, and then checks whether or not the outputable content and the selectable output mode are obtained under the input charge restriction condition (determination of output possibility). , S4). For example,
In the example above, at least 1 for 80 yen content
50 yen is required, but the user has 1
If 20 yen is specified, it cannot be output within the range of the charge restriction condition. Therefore, in this case, it is determined that the content and the selectable output mode have not been obtained.

When the CPU 11 determines that the output is possible in the process S4 (in the case of Yes), it displays the information of the output mode that can be designated on the operation unit 14 (S5). Then, the process waits until the user performs an operation of selecting the output mode (S6), and when the operation is performed, the main body of the content designated in the process S1 is acquired (S7) and selected in the process S6. The printing unit 16 is instructed to print in the output mode (S8), and the billing management unit 13 is instructed to subtract the charge when the printed content is output in the selected output mode from the input amount. (Charging process, S
9), the process ends.

When a plurality of contents have been obtained by the search, the output mode information is displayed for each content in process S5, and the user selects a desired content from this and further selects the desired content. A desired mode is selected from the output modes displayed in association with the content. Then, the CPU 11 acquires the selected content and gives an instruction to print in the selected output mode.

If it is determined in step S4 that the content cannot be output (No), the operation unit 14 displays that there is no content that can be output under the input charge restriction condition (S10). This display is, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, and the user can select whether to reset the printing conditions or the budget (charge restriction conditions) or to end the processing (S1).
1). When resetting the printing conditions or the budget, the process returns to step S1 to continue the process, and when the end of the process is selected, the process ends as it is.

Although the billing management unit 13 has been described as handling cash with a coin kit or the like, it may be a unit for reading or writing to a prepaid card, or billing with a credit card. In order to perform the above, communication with a credit card company may be performed.

Further, in the process S6, not only the selection of the output mode but also the instruction for resetting the printing conditions may be accepted. In this case, when the instruction to reset the printing conditions is given, the CPU 11 returns to the process S1 and continues the process.

[Modification] Furthermore, in the above description, when a plurality of contents are found by the search, it is explained that the output mode that can be designated is specified for each content based on the charge restriction condition. Since it is possible to conceal what kind of content is output to the user and improve the entertainment property, such a modified example will be described below.

The CPU 11 receives the input of the content search condition and the charge limit condition, and searches the content server 2 for at least one content based on the input search condition. Then, the CPU 11 acquires the management information of the searched content, checks the number of contents and the charge from the management information, and generates the output mode information that can be designated in relation to the charge restriction condition. This process is similar to the process in process S3 of FIG.

When there is at least one content that can be output by this processing, the CPU 11 randomly selects one content from the content and selects an output mode that can be specified for the selected content. When the output mode is selected, the randomly selected content is acquired, and the acquired content is output according to the output mode selected by the user.

It should be noted that the content server 2 may be configured so that it is possible to set the ease of selection of content, the limited number, etc. as management information. That is, the content server 2 includes, in the management information, information indicating the content selection probability and information regarding the limited number. Then, when randomly selecting the content, the CPU 11 performs selection based on the selection probability. For example, if content A has a selection probability of “0.01” and “0.0”,
When one content is randomly selected from the content B which is “05”, the content A is selected at a ratio of 2: 1. This can be realized, for example, by generating a random number from 0 to 10 and selecting the content A when the random number is 0 to 6.66 and selecting the content B when the random number is 6.67 to 10.

Further, the CPU 11 counts the number of times randomly selected for each piece of content identification information, compares the number of times with the limit number included in the management information, and the number of times exceeds the limit number. In that case, the content is not selected.

By thus setting the selection probability and the limited number, the rarity value of contents can be artificially set,
Further, the entertainment property can be improved. Further, here, the CPU 11
It is supposed that the number of times selected by the side is counted, but each time the content server 2 side provides the content, the limit number of the provided content is decremented, and when the limit number is not “0” on the CPU 11 side. May be included in the randomly selected targets.

The contents randomly selected in this manner are, for example, so-called trading cards in which popular characters of animation, characters, portraits of athletes, etc. are printed on card-shaped paper. It is possible. In this way, when outputting to card paper or the like having a fixed layout, the output mode is determined according to the number of contents that can be acquired within the budget from the price of the contents. In that case, among the input printing conditions, some settings such as layout items and designation of double-sided or single-sided printing cannot be changed. Further, in the case of a paper whose layout has not been determined, output mode information is created for each of a plurality of printable layouts in the printing unit 16.

For example, if the entered fee limit condition is 100
When color printing, A4 plain paper, and single-sided printing are designated by circles, three output modes as shown in FIG. 7 are created. When printing two contents on one sheet, a print mode as shown in FIG. 7B can be designated. Further, it is preferable that the printing conditions can be changed within the budget. It is also preferable to be able to specify that only one content is continuously printed even with the same layout.

In the above description, the case where the content is acquired from the content server 2 connected via the network has been described, but the content output processing is performed by the disk device (DVD-ROM device or the like) holding the content. Connected to the device, the CPU 11
Content may be searched for and acquired from this disk device.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to selectively acquire contents and select an output mode within the budget specified in advance, so that the user's dissatisfaction with the fee can be eliminated. In addition, by randomly selecting the content that can be output, it is possible to provide the user with an expectation that an unknown content can be obtained, and improve the entertainment value.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a content output processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of content management information in a content server.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the content output processing device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a user interface of the content output processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a user interface of the content output processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a user interface of the content output processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a user interface of the content output processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 content server, 11 CPU, 12 storage unit,
13 accounting management unit, 14 operation unit, 15 network interface unit, 16 printing unit.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) H04N 1/00 107 H04N 1/00 107Z (72) Inventor Yasushi Amano 2274 Hongo, Ebina, Kanagawa Prefecture Fuji Xerox Ebina Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Akiko Mochizuki 2274 Hongo, Ebina City, Kanagawa Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Ebina Co., Ltd. BD06

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A means for receiving at least one content that satisfies the search condition and the charge restriction condition, by receiving a search condition for content that is a candidate for output and information regarding the charge restriction condition. And a means for presenting a list of contents found by the search in a selectable manner to the user as acquisition target candidates, and a means for acquiring and outputting the contents selected from the acquisition target candidates. A content output processing device characterized by the above. 2. The content output processing device according to claim 1, wherein the means for searching for the content receives an instruction regarding an output mode, outputs a charge in the output mode, and a charge for the content. A content output processing device that searches for content satisfying the charge restriction condition based on the following. 3. A means for receiving at least one content satisfying the search condition and the charge restriction condition, by receiving the input of the search condition of the output candidate content and the information about the charge restriction condition. A content output processing device comprising: a unit for randomly selecting a content to be output from the contents found by the search; and a unit for acquiring and outputting the selected content. 4. A step of receiving at least one piece of content satisfying the search condition and the charge restriction condition by receiving input of a search condition of content that is a candidate for output and information regarding the charge restriction condition. And a step of presenting a list of contents found by the search in a selectable manner to the user as acquisition target candidates, and a step of acquiring and outputting the content selected from the acquisition target candidates. A content output processing method characterized by the above. 5. A step of receiving at least one content that satisfies the search condition and the charge restriction condition by receiving input of a search condition for content that is a candidate for output and information regarding the charge restriction condition. And a step of randomly selecting a content to be output from the content found by the search, and a step of acquiring and outputting the selected content, the content output processing method. 6. A computer receives at least one content satisfying the search condition and the charge restriction condition by receiving the input of the search condition of the output candidate content and the information regarding the charge restriction condition. A procedure of searching, a procedure of presenting a list of contents found by the search in a selectable manner to the user as an acquisition target candidate, and a procedure of acquiring and outputting the content selected from the acquisition target candidates , A content output processing program for executing. 7. A computer receives at least one content satisfying the search condition and the charge restriction condition when inputting the search condition of the output candidate content and the information about the charge restriction condition. Content output characterized by executing a search procedure, a procedure for randomly selecting content to be output from the content found by the search, and a procedure for acquiring and outputting the selected content Processing program.