JP2004013231A - Content recommending and selling method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a content recommending and selling method for recommending and selling a content by use of an online storage. <P>SOLUTION: Not only the purchase history of a content purchased on the online storage by a user but also the operation history of content which can be acquired only in the online storage after purchasing the content are managed in a user database 352, whereby the taste of the user is grasped to recommend and sell an optimum content for the user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a content recommendation and sales method using an online storage, and in particular, recommends and sells an optimal content for a user based on an operation attribute of a content that cannot be obtained unless the online storage after purchasing the content. Content recommendations and sales methods.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In online storage, as shown in FIG. 10, a user uses a hard disk of a server on a network as a storage destination of his / her data. The user can view the contents of the online storage 2000 through the browser 2001 of the user terminal. With the spread of the Internet and the broadband connection to the Internet, the use of online storage has increased, and the need to sell content using the online storage has increased.
[0003]
As a method of selling contents to an online storage, there is a web pocket service (http://www.webpocket.net) provided by web pocket. Referring to FIG. 11, the content sale of the Web pocket is a flow in which the user selects the content from the content list of the Web pocket site, purchases the content, and copies the purchased content to the user's online storage. Even when the content is purchased for the second time or later, there is no change in the flow in which the user selects the content from the content list, and after the purchase, the content is copied to the online storage. Also, in a content selling method that does not use the online storage, the flow in which a user selects, purchases, and browses a content from a list of contents is the same as in the Web pocket.
[0004]
On the other hand, in content sales, a method of appealing to a user of a content that a content provider wants to promote has been a method of notifying on a WEB site or sending a direct mail by e-mail.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Therefore, in the above-described content usage situation, the user must always select the content from a large list of contents when purchasing the content.
[0006]
In the invention of the "history utilization database search method" of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-56929, an attempt is made to improve the above-described use situation by searching for content recommended by the user only from history information that the user has purchased the content. . However, the history of how the user handled the content after purchasing the content is not taken into account.
[0007]
Further, in terms of appealing to the user, in the notification on the WEB site, the user himself had to access the site. With direct mail by e-mail, there was a problem that the direct mail itself could not be read, and there was a limit to appealing content using character information.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve such an object, the invention according to claim 1 provides a user database which manages information about a user by using an online storage in which a user uses a hard disk of a server on a network as a storage destination of his / her data. Is a content recommendation and sales method for managing the purchase history of a user's content, wherein the user database also manages the operation history of the content of the user after the purchase of the content.
[0009]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a search key having a predetermined algorithm condition based on data of a purchase history or an operation history when searching for content that matches the user's preference. Is generated.
[0010]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, a sample of the content searched using the search key is copied to an online storage.
[0011]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the content provider appeals to the selected user for a sample of the content to be promoted based on the purchase history or the operation history of the user.
[0012]
A fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, a sample of content promoted by a content provider is appealed to a selected user by image information.
[0013]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, when the user selects a sample of the content and purchases the content information, the user deletes the sample data and replaces the actual data of the content with the user. The content is copied to the online storage, the contents of the user's online storage are transmitted to the user terminal, and the user database manages the user's purchase information as a purchase history.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[Description of Configuration of Example]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the present invention, which comprises a user terminal 100, a network 500, a content recommendation / sales and online storage providing system 300.
[0015]
The content recommendation / sales and online storage providing system 300 includes a web server 310, a user management unit 311, a content data copy unit 312, a purchase management unit 313, a content reproduction unit 314, a database search unit 315, a database operation unit 316, and a content search key. It comprises a generation unit 317, a content database 350, a content storage disk 351, a user database 352, and an online storage 353.
[0016]
The WEB server 310 stores the html information generated by the user management unit 311, the content data copy unit 312, the purchase management unit 313, the content reproduction unit 314, the database search unit 315, the database operation unit 316, and the content search key generation unit 317. It has a function of transmitting to the user terminal 100 and notifying the above-mentioned units of an input from the user terminal and the like.
[0017]
The user management unit 311 has a function of comparing the user ID and password input by the user with the user ID and password in the user database 352.
[0018]
The content data copy unit 312 has a function of copying the sample content on the content storage disk 351 and the actual data of the content to the online storage 353.
[0019]
The purchase management unit 313 has a function of communicating with the billing system 700, a function of requesting billing to the billing system 700, and a function of notifying other units that the purchase has been correctly completed.
[0020]
The content reproduction unit 314 has a function of reproducing content on the online storage. If the content is a moving image, it is a streaming server, and if the content is music, it is a copyright information management server.
[0021]
The database search unit 315 has a function of accessing the content database 350 and the user database 352, and has a function of extracting attributes from the content database 350 and the user database 352.
[0022]
The database operation unit 316 has a function of accessing the content database 350 and the user database 352, and a function of registering, updating, and deleting data in the content database 350 and the user database 352.
[0023]
The content search key generation unit 317 has an algorithm for generating a search key. Further, it has a function of registering the generated search key in the user database 352.
[0024]
For example, content information having the following items is registered in the content database 350 and is accessed from the database search unit 315.
-Content number-Name-Capacity-Price-Content actual data storage location-Sample content storage location-Type (movie, still image, music ...)
-Registration Date-Content Feature 1
-Content feature 2
...
Each item of the content information changes depending on the type of the content, and is not limited to the above information.
[0025]
The content storage disk 351 has a function of storing content data, and stores actual content data and sample content.
[0026]
The user database 352 has the following user information, for example, and is used by each function. In the user information, information of the user himself and content information purchased by the user are registered. Further, user information described later is registered in advance, and the user is in a state where the content recommendation / sales and online storage providing system 300 can be used.
It is assumed that the user information has the following items, for example.
-Name-address-information for billing (credit card number, etc.)
-User ID
-Password-Recommended content search key-Content information + Content number + Name + Capacity + Price + Content actual data storage location of content storage disk 351 + Sample content storage location of content storage disk 351 + Content actual data storage location of online storage 353 + Sample content storage location of online storage 353 + Type (movie, still image, music ...)
+ Sample browsing count before purchase + Purchase date + Deletion date + Content browsing count + Content browsing interval + Content feature 1
+ Content Feature 2
...
Each item of the user information is not limited to the above information.
[0027]
The online storage 353 is an online storage used by the user, and has a function of storing the content of the user and a function of generating an interface for the user of the online storage.
[0028]
[Description of Operation of Embodiment]
As an embodiment of the present invention, an operation flow of searching for an optimum recommended content searched based on a user's purchase history or operation history will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0029]
First, as shown in FIG. 4, the content information of the contents A, B, C, D, E, F, and G already purchased by the user is stored in the user database 352.
FIG. 6 is an example in which the online storage of the user corresponding to the content information of the purchased content shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the web browser of the user terminal 100, and the content that the user has purchased is displayed on the left side of the screen. This is an area where recommended content is displayed on the right side of the screen. In addition, a “recommended” button 601 is provided at the top of the screen.
[0030]
Next, an operation flow for searching for a recommended content that is optimal for the user will be described with reference to FIG.
[0031]
The user connects to the user's own online storage 353 using the user terminal 100 (S201). The WEB server 310 transmits the contents of the online storage 353 to the user terminal 100 (S202). A screen as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the user terminal 100, for example. Here, when the user presses the “recommended” button 601 (S203), the database search unit 315 extracts the data of the content information shown in FIG. 4 from the content information of the user database 352 (S204). The extracted content information is sent to the content search key generation unit 317.
[0032]
The content search key generation unit 317 generates a search key for searching for recommended content according to a built-in search key generation algorithm (S205). The content search key generation unit 317 registers the generated search key in the user database 352 (S206).
[0033]
For example, the search key generation algorithm may use the value of the combination of the most extracted information among the types of content and the most extracted information among the genres in the content database 350, except that the status is deleted. Search for. " In FIG. 4, the most common information among the content types is “movie”, and the most common information among the genres is “SF”. Therefore, the searched contents are “movie” and “movie”. The content having the element “SF” is searched. Further, from the searched contents, the content once stored in the online storage is narrowed down by a parameter although the status is deleted. In FIG. 4, the director removes the content having the “S” element.
In the search algorithm described above, the status of the content stored in the online storage 353 is used. In addition, other parameters, such as the number of content browsing and the content browsing interval, which can only be obtained from the online storage, are used. A search algorithm most suitable for the user can be considered.
It is also possible to combine algorithms, and an algorithm using a search key of a registered user is also possible. In the above description, the search key is generated using the content information of all the content purchased by the user. However, the search key may be generated using the content information of the content selected by the user.
Note that such a search key generation algorithm is not limited to the above example.
[0034]
Using the search key generated in this way, the content search unit 315 searches the content database 350 for content whose content type is movie and whose genre is SF (S207). FIG. 5 shows the searched contents.
[0035]
The content data copy unit 312 searches the sample content of the searched content shown in FIG. 7 from the content database 350, and refers to the sample content storage location of the content storage disk 351 described in the content information of the content, The data is copied to the online storage 353 (S208). Here, when the content sample data is a moving image or the like and has a large capacity, a link or alias of the sample data may be generated on the online storage 353 instead of copying the sample data.
[0036]
The database operation unit 316 registers the content information of the copied content in the user database 352 (S209). At this time, the purchase date is not registered because only the sample of the content is copied.
[0037]
The WEB server 310 transmits a content sample to the user terminal 100 to the user's online storage interface (S210). The sample content of the copied content is displayed in a recommended content area as shown in FIG.
[0038]
In the above description, the search for the recommended content is started when the user selects the “recommended” button 601. However, even when the search is started when the user purchases the content or when the user deletes the content. Good.
[0039]
Further, when the content provider wants to notify the user of a certain content, the content provider provides a sample of the content to be notified online to a user having a purchase history or an operation history having the same tendency as the attribute information of the content to be notified. It can be directly copied to the storage 353. That is, the content provider can directly recommend the content to be announced to the user.
Here, the method of notifying the content is not limited to character information, but may be image information. By notifying a sample of the content on the online storage 353 using the image information, the content can be graphically displayed by the web server 310.
[0040]
Next, a procedure for purchasing the copied content will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0041]
With reference to FIG. 3, an operation flow for purchasing recommended content that is optimal for the user will be described.
[0042]
The user selects a sample of the recommended content (S301). FIG. 7 shows an image of the selected content.
[0043]
The content data reproducing unit 314 reproduces a content sample (S302). The user browses the sample reproduced on the user terminal 100 (S303). When the reproduction of the sample ends or the reproduction is interrupted by the user, the purchase management unit 313 displays a dialog as to whether or not to purchase the content (S304). FIG. 8 shows the displayed dialog. When the user selects “purchase” using the user terminal 100 (S305), the purchase management unit 313 performs a billing process (S306). When the purchase management unit 313 completes the charging process, the database operation unit 316 updates the purchase date of the content information in the user database 352 (S307).
[0044]
The content data copy unit 312 deletes the sample data of the content on the online storage 353 (S308).
The content data copying unit 312 refers to the content actual data storage location of the content storage disk 351 described in the content information of the corresponding content registered in the user database 352, and copies the actual data of the content to the online storage 353 ( S309). At this time, if the actual content data is a moving image or the like and has a large capacity, a link or alias of the actual data may be generated on the online storage 353 instead of copying the actual data.
[0045]
The WEB server 310 transmits the contents of the user's online storage to the user terminal 100 (S310). The purchased content is displayed in the area of the purchased content as shown in FIG.
[0046]
【The invention's effect】
The effects of the present invention are as follows.
The first effect is that users who are extracted only from the history of purchases by considering not only the purchase history but also the file operation history of online storage users, such as the content browsing frequency, content browsing interval, and content deletion. More detailed content preference trends can be extracted from the content preference trends. Therefore, the content provider can recommend a recommended content with higher accuracy to the user. The reason is that, since the content is stored in the online storage 353 managed by the content recommendation / sales and online storage providing system 300, not only the content purchase history but also the content browsing which is a file operation history in the online storage. This is because detailed information such as the number of times, content browsing interval, and content deletion are managed by the user database 350.
[0047]
The second effect is that the user can easily obtain a sample of the content that matches his / her taste. The reason is that among the data of the content information in the user database 352, a sample of recommended content optimized for the user based on the type of content and the operation tendency of the content of the user is searched from the content database 350 and stored in the online storage of the user. Because it copies.
[0048]
The third effect is that a content provider can appeal a content to be promoted from a large amount of content to a user having an attribute that wants the content. The reason is that among the content information data in the user database 352, the content provider searches the content database 350 for optimized content based on the type of content, the purchase tendency of the user, and the like, and the recommended content. This is because it is copied to the online storage.
[0049]
The fourth effect is that the content provider can appeal the content using the image information. The reason is that the content is directly copied to the online storage 353, and the screen of the online storage 353 can be graphically displayed by the web server 310.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart of an optimum recommended content search.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of content purchase.
FIG. 4 is an example of content information of purchased content.
FIG. 5 is an example of retrieved recommended content information.
FIG. 6 is a screen of an online storage in a state where a recommendation button is selected.
FIG. 7 is a screen of the online storage immediately after the recommended content is copied with the recommended sample selected.
FIG. 8 is a content purchase dialog in a state where a purchase button is selected.
9 is a screen of the online storage immediately after the content H is purchased in FIG.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an online storage.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a web pocket.
[Explanation of symbols]
100 User terminal 310 Web server 311 User management unit 312 Content data copy unit 313 Purchase management unit 314 Content playback unit 315 Database search unit 316 Database operation unit 317 Content search key generation unit 350 Content database 351 Content storage disk 352 User database 353 Online storage 700 billing system

Claims (6)

A content recommendation and sales method in which a user uses an online storage that uses a hard disk of a server on a network as a storage destination of his / her data and a user database that manages information about the user manages a purchase history of the content of the user. hand,
The content recommendation and sales method, wherein the user database also manages the operation history of the content of the user after the purchase of the content. The content recommendation according to claim 1, wherein a search key having a predetermined algorithm condition is generated based on data of the purchase history or the operation history when searching for content that matches the user's preference. And sales methods. The content recommendation and sales method according to claim 2, wherein a sample of the content searched by using the search key is copied to an online storage. The content recommendation and sales method according to claim 1, wherein the content provider appeals to the selected user a sample of the content to be promoted based on the purchase history or the operation history of the user. The content recommendation and sales method according to claim 4, wherein the content provider appeals the sample of the content to be promoted to the selected user based on image information. When the user selects the content sample and purchases the content information, the data of the sample is deleted, the actual data of the content is copied to the user's online storage, and the content of the user's online storage is stored in the user terminal. The content recommendation and sales method according to claim 3, wherein the user database manages the purchase information of the user as a purchase history.

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