JP2003271325A - Contents distributing system and method, and its program and accounting method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technology associated with a contents distributing system capable of selecting information/contents to have the information/contents distributed, and outputting the distributed information/contents according to the printer of a user. <P>SOLUTION: This contents distributing system is roughly configured of a contents distributing server 10 and user terminals 101-10n having the printing functions of contents distributed from the contents distributing server 10 through a network 100 such as the Internet. The contents distributing server 10 is provided with contents 10a for distribution, a layout master 10b having the layout information of the contents, and a contents layout part (contents layout means) 10c. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a content distribution system, and more particularly to a technology related to a content distribution system for transmitting content data capable of printing content according to the environment of a user terminal.

[0001]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, contents such as news articles and stock price information have been distributed from a Web server via a network such as the Internet. In addition, information on desired fields is collected and distributed to users.

[0002]

However, the prior art has the following problems.

When the distributed content is displayed on the browser and printed, the right edge of the screen displayed on the display does not fit on the right edge of the printing paper, and the text or image is hard to see on the next page. was there. Further, when a plurality of contents are distributed, there is a problem that undesired information / content is distributed and unnecessary reception and printing are performed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to select and receive information / content, and to deliver the distributed information / content to a user's printing device. The point is to provide a technology related to a content distribution system that can output together.

[0005]

The gist of the present invention according to claim 1 is a content distribution system for distributing information to users, which is a content distribution server for distributing contents such as character information and image information. And a user terminal that receives distribution of the content from the content distribution server via a network such as the Internet,
The content distribution server lays out one or a plurality of the contents based on print layout information, transmits data of the laid out contents to the user terminal, and causes the user terminal to print the contents. The present invention resides in a content distribution system. The gist of the present invention according to claim 2 is that the content distribution server operates with distribution content in which one or more of the contents are registered, a layout master for creating the layout information, a computer program, and the like. And a content index that includes an attribute of the content when the content is printed, and browser information used by the user terminal,
User terminal data including a print setting resolution and a print setting range, and a delivery destination master including information such as the user terminal that the user wants to deliver, the content that the user wants to deliver, the delivery timing, and the like. The content distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the content layout means lays out the content based on the layout master. The gist of the present invention according to claim 3 is that the content layout means selects a corresponding content from the distribution contents based on the timing of distribution of the content to the user terminal registered in the distribution destination master. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a content distribution system according to claim 2. The gist of the present invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the content layout means lays out one or a plurality of contents selected by the user from a content index transmitted in advance to the user terminal. The content distribution system according to claim 2 exists. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the content layout means, the range of print data of the content is set to a virtual print range set for each page on the memory of the content distribution server based on the user terminal data. If the layout is divided into two pages,
When the divided small range is larger than a predetermined ratio compared to the range of the entire print data, an additional page is created in the virtual print range, the entire print data is stored in the additional page, and the smaller one is The range is equal to a predetermined ratio compared with the range of the entire print data /
5. When it is smaller, the font point value or character width of the document file in the print data, or the vertical / horizontal width of the image file is reduced and the image data is stored in the corresponding page. It exists in the content distribution system described in Crab. The gist of the present invention according to claim 6 is a content distribution method for distributing information to a user, wherein a content distribution server for distributing contents such as character information and image information is based on print layout information. A first step of laying out one or more of the contents; and a second step of distributing the laid out contents to the user terminal from the content distribution server via a network such as the Internet, The first step resides in the content distribution method characterized in that it includes a third step of creating the layout information on the basis of information regarding printing in the user terminal. The gist of the present invention according to claim 7, wherein the third step is a content index including an attribute of the content when the content is printed, and information on printing in the user terminal, the use of the user terminal. Browser info,
The layout is based on user terminal data including a print setting resolution and a print setting range, and a delivery destination master including information such as the user terminal that the user desires to deliver, the content that the user wants to deliver, and the delivery timing. The content distribution method according to claim 6, further comprising a step of creating information. The gist of the present invention according to claim 8 is that in the first step, corresponding content is selected from the distribution contents based on the distribution timing of the content to the user terminal registered in the distribution destination master. The content distribution method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of selecting. The gist of the present invention according to claim 9 is that, in the first step, one or a plurality of contents selected by the user from among the content indexes transmitted in advance to the user terminal are targets of layout. The content distribution method according to claim 7, further comprising steps. The gist of the present invention according to claim 10 is that in the first step, print data of the content is stored in a virtual print range set for each page on a memory of the content distribution server based on the user terminal data. In the fourth step of determining whether or not the print data is not stored in the fourth step, when the divided small range is larger than a predetermined ratio as compared with the range of the entire print data, the virtual Creating an additional page in the print range and storing the entire print data in the additional page; and when the smaller one of the ranges is equal to or smaller than a predetermined ratio as compared with the range of the entire print data, Decrease the font point value or character width of the document file in the above data, or the vertical / horizontal width of the image file Storing the content in the page, and determining that the print data does not fit when the range of the print data of the content is divided into two pages and laid out. The content distribution method described in one of the above. The gist of the present invention according to claim 11 is a computer program that can realize the operation of a content distribution server in the content distribution method according to any one of claims 6 to 10, and is a computer program according to any one of claims 6 to 10. The computer program is characterized in that each step in the content distribution method is encoded. The gist of the present invention according to claim 12 is a charging method for distributed contents such as magazines and newspapers,
11. A billing method for distributed contents, characterized in that billing information is transmitted to a user terminal for a content distributed using the content distribution method according to any one of claims 6 to 10, and the user is billed. Exist in.

[0006]

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 diagram showing the configuration of a content distribution system according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the content distribution system includes a content distribution server 10 and user terminals 101 to 10n having a print function of the content distributed from the content distribution server 10 via a network 100 such as the Internet. The content distribution server 10 is roughly configured, and the content distribution server 10 includes a distribution content 10a, a layout master 10b having layout information of the content, and a content layout unit (content layout means) 10.
and c.

The content layout section 10c functions by the operation of a computer program or the like.

FIG. 2 shows a content 10ax registered in the distribution content 10a of FIG. 1 and a layout master 10.
It is a figure which shows the structure of each data which b has.

The layout master 10b has a content index 15b, user terminal data 15c, and a delivery destination master 15d.

The distribution content 10a stores various contents 10ax such as a text file, an image file, and a text / image combination file.

The content 10ax shown in FIG.
Includes data such as a content ID a01, a content classification a02, a content title a03, and content data a04. The content IDa01 is an ID for identifying the content 10ax, and is the same I for the content 10ax repeatedly distributed such as daily report and weekly report.
Turn on D. Further, the number can be set such that the same ID + branch number are used for distinction.

The content index 15b shown in FIG. 2B has a content ID b01, a content title b02, and a content attribute b03. The content attribute b03 includes the number of characters in a sentence, the font point value, the number of lines, the vertical and horizontal margin widths when a frame is included, and the vertical and horizontal sizes of an image.
Includes attribute data that determines the print range, such as horizontal size and margin width.

User terminal data 15 shown in FIG.
c is the user terminal ID c01 and the browser information used c0
2. It has data such as setting resolution c03 and setting range c04. The user terminal IDc01 is a delivery destination user terminal 10n (hereinafter, the user terminal 10n is described as a representative).
Is an ID that identifies The set resolution c03 is DPI
The print resolution that is set by, for example, is set. Setting range c
In 04, the vertical / horizontal print range (vertical inch, horizontal inch, etc.) in which the content 10ax is printed is set. Also,
The used browser information c02 is information for knowing how the laid out content 10ax is displayed (printed).

The delivery destination master 15d shown in FIG.
Is the user terminal 1 that is the delivery destination specified by the user.
0n user terminal IDd01 and distributed content I
Dd02 and the distribution category d03 that is the timing (daily, weekly, etc.) at which the corresponding content 10ax is distributed are registered.

The content layout unit 10c lays out one or a plurality of contents 10ax for distribution based on the distribution contents 10a, the content index 15b, the user terminal data 15c, and the distribution destination master 15d for each registered user. Created delivery data. The laid out distribution data is transmitted from the content distribution server 10 to the user terminal 10n.

The content distribution server 10 has a preset date (daily, weekly, predetermined date) registered in advance by the user.
Or a request from the user, the content title b02 of the content index 15b is transmitted as a headline to the user terminal 10n corresponding to the user terminal IDd01, and the content title b0 selected by the user.
Only the content 10ax corresponding to 2 is the user terminal ID
It can also be delivered to the user terminal 10n corresponding to d01.

Next, the operation of the content distribution system according to this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 3 shows the content layout section 1 of FIG.
It is a figure which shows the flow of operation | movement of 0c.

FIG. 4 shows the content layout section 1 of FIG.
It is a figure which shows an example of the virtual printing range 50 created by 0c.

The virtual print range 50 is the user terminal data 1
Based on 5c, the content 10ax created in the memory (not shown) of the content distribution server 10 is virtually laid out.

First, the content layout section 10c
With reference to the delivery destination master 15d and the user terminal data 15c, the content 10ax to be delivered to the user terminal 10n to be delivered is selected (step S01). At this time, the user terminal IDd0 for identifying the user terminal 10n
1 and the content ID b0 identifying the content 10ax
1 and 1 are the keys for selection.

Next, a predetermined order (creation date, order of increasing volume, content ID registered by the user)
Based on the content attribute b03, the set resolution c03 and the set range c of the user terminal data 15c are set to one or a plurality of contents 10ax arranged in the order of b01).
According to 04, a temporary layout is performed in the virtual print range 50 for each page created on the memory (step S02).

It is determined whether or not the laid out contents 10ax are within the virtual printing range 50 for each page (step S03).

When the contents 10ax are accommodated (Yes in the figure), the laid-out contents 10ax
Is transmitted from the content distribution server 10 to the user terminal 10n as distribution data (step S04).

In step S03, when the laid out contents 10ax are not stored in the virtual print range 50 for each page (No in the figure), the relay layout is performed (step S05), and the process returns to step S03.

In step S03, the content 10
An example of a method for determining whether or not ax falls within the virtual print range 50 for each page will be described with reference to FIG.

When laying out the print data A01 based on the respective contents 10ax, a predetermined margin B is provided on the upper, lower, left and right sides.
01 is added to lay out on a predetermined page P01.
When the margin B01 covers the next page P02, the corresponding margin B01 is ignored and the next print data A02 can be laid out on the next page P02, so that it is determined that the margin B01 is accommodated.

Further, as shown in the figure, when the laid out print data A01 is divided into page P01 and page P02 (dividing line LN in the figure), the divided range D
01 and the range D02 are compared. This comparison can be made based on the number of lines in the document file, the number of characters in one line, the font point value, the height and width of the image file, and the like.

First, when the smaller range D02 is larger than a predetermined ratio as compared with the range of the entire print data A01, a page is added between page P01 and page P02, and printing is performed in step S05. Data A01
Will be laid out on the added page. At this time, it is judged that it has not been fit. In the relayout in step S05, if there is print data of another content 10ax that falls within the range in which the print data A01 was originally laid out (the range corresponding to the print data A01 laid out on the added page), it is laid out at the corresponding position. To do.

Secondly, when the smaller range D02 is compared with the entire range of the print data A01 and the range D02 is equal to / smaller than a predetermined ratio, the font point value and the character width of the document file in the print data A01. Or
The vertical and horizontal widths of the image file are reduced, and the image file is stored on the corresponding page P01.

Furthermore, when there is a character designation in one line, or when the image file is laid out, the virtual print range 50
Even when it goes out from the right end of, the font point value, the character width, or the left and right width of the image file can be reduced to fit within the range of the corresponding page, as in the above description.

In addition, the genres of contents that the user attaches importance to (content IDa01 and content 10a).
It is also possible to register a method such as performing layout again after performing layout in order of classification of x). Furthermore, by registering the detailed layout desired by the user in the user terminal data 15c, it is possible to perform content distribution with a layout that is easier for the user to read.

Further, a distribution fee is set for each content 10ax to be distributed, and the user terminal 10n corresponding to the user terminal IDd01 is distributed every time or every predetermined period such as the end of the month.
The user can be charged by transmitting the charging information to.

In the present embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to a technique relating to a content distribution system suitable for applying the present invention.

Further, the number, position, shape, etc. of the above-mentioned constituent members are not limited to those in the above-mentioned embodiment, and the number, position, shape, etc. suitable for carrying out the present invention can be adopted.

In each figure, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0039]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects.

The user can receive the contents of newspapers and magazines in the form of an index in advance and can download only the desired contents.

Also, the delivered content can be output in accordance with the user's printing device, avoiding that the last line of the page or the right edge of the page is cut and printed on the next page.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a content distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a structure of content registered in the distribution content of FIG. 1 and each data of a layout master.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow of operations of a content layout section in FIG.

4 is a diagram showing an example of a virtual print range created by the content layout unit of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 content distribution server 10a content for distribution 10ax content 10b layout master 10c content layout section (content layout means) 15b content index 15c user terminal data 15d distribution destination master 50 virtual printing range 100 network 101-10n user terminals A01, A02 print data B01 Margins D01, D02 Range LN Dividing lines P01, P02 Page a01 Content ID a02 Content classification a03 Content title a04 Content data b01 Content ID b02 Content title b03 Content attribute c01 User terminal ID c02 Setting browser c03 Setting resolution c04 Setting range d01 User terminal ID d02 Content ID d03 Distribution category

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A content distribution system for distributing information to users, the content distribution server distributing contents such as character information and image information, and the content distribution server via the network such as the Internet. A user terminal for receiving content distribution, wherein the content distribution server lays out one or more of the contents based on print layout information, and transmits the laid-out content data to the user terminal. And a content distribution system wherein the content is printed from the user terminal. 2. The content distribution server includes a distribution content in which one or a plurality of the contents are registered, a layout master for creating the layout information, and a content layout unit operating by a computer program or the like. The layout master has a content index including attributes of the content when the content is printed, user terminal data including browser information used by the user terminal, print setting resolution, and print setting range, The user terminal which the user desires to deliver, a delivery destination master including information such as content to be delivered and delivery timing, and the content layout means lays out the content based on the layout master. Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. Content distribution system according. 3. The content layout means selects a corresponding content from among the content for distribution based on the timing of distribution of the content to the user terminal registered in the distribution destination master. The content distribution system according to claim 2. 4. The content layout means lays out one or a plurality of contents selected by the user from a content index transmitted to the user terminal in advance. Content distribution system. 5. The content layout means divides the print data range of the content into two pages into a virtual print range set for each page on the memory of the content distribution server based on the user terminal data. When the divided small range is larger than a predetermined ratio in comparison with the range of the entire print data, an additional page in the virtual print range is created, and the entire print data is converted into the additional page. Pay
When the smaller one of the ranges is equal to or smaller than a predetermined ratio compared to the entire range of the print data, the font point value and the character width of the document file in the print data, or the vertical and horizontal widths of the image file 5. The content distribution system according to claim 2, wherein the content is reduced to fit in the corresponding page. 6. A content distribution method for distributing information to a user, wherein a content distribution server for distributing content such as character information and image information sets a value based on print layout information.
A first step of laying out one or a plurality of the contents, and a second step of distributing the laid out contents to the user terminal from the content distribution server via a network such as the Internet; The step 1) includes a third step of creating the layout information on the basis of information about printing in the user terminal. 7. The third step comprises: a content index including an attribute of the content when the content is printed; browser information used by the user terminal, which is information about printing in the user terminal; and print settings. The layout information is created based on the user terminal data including the resolution and the setting range of printing, and the user terminal that the user desires to deliver, the delivery destination master that includes information such as the content to be delivered and the delivery timing. 7. The content distribution method according to claim 6, further comprising: 8. The first step includes a step of selecting a corresponding content from the distribution contents based on a timing of distribution of the content to the user terminal registered in the distribution destination master. The content distribution method according to claim 7, wherein: 9. The first step includes a step of subjecting one or a plurality of contents selected by the user from a content index transmitted in advance to the user terminal to a layout. The content distribution method according to claim 7. 10. The fourth step of determining whether or not the print data of the content fits within a virtual print range set for each page on the memory of the content distribution server based on the user terminal data. In the fourth step, when the print data does not fit, when the divided small range is larger than a predetermined ratio as compared with the range of the entire print data, an additional page in the virtual print range is Creating and storing the entire print data in the additional page, and comparing the smaller range to the range of the entire print data,
When the ratio is equal to or smaller than a predetermined ratio, the font point value and the character width of the document file in the data, or
Reducing the vertical / horizontal width of the image file and storing it in the corresponding page. If the range of the print data of the content is divided into two pages and laid out, the print data cannot be stored. The content distribution method according to claim 7, wherein the content distribution method is determined as follows. 11. A computer program capable of realizing the operation of a content distribution server in the content distribution method according to claim 6, wherein each of the content distribution methods according to claim 6 or 10. A computer program characterized in that the steps are coded. 12. A billing method for distributed contents such as magazines and newspapers, wherein billing information is provided to a user terminal for contents distributed using the content distribution method according to any one of claims 6 to 10. A method of charging for distributed contents, characterized by transmitting a message and charging the user.