JP2004030189A - Contents sales method and contents sales program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To purchase contents such as an incoming tone melody from a terminal other than the terminal to which contents are downloaded. <P>SOLUTION: A contents sales server receives a contents purchasing request containing a contents ID and an address of a second terminal from a first server, generates an address of an access destination for downloading contents corresponding to the contenst ID, and transmits the address of the access destination to the second terminal. When the contents are downloaded in the second terminal, thereafter it is made not to receive the access to the adress of the access destination. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a technology for distributing digital content over a network.
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a technology for distributing digital contents via a network has become widespread, and sales of contents such as ringtones and standby screens in mobile phones are also one of the distributions of digital contents via the network.
[0002]
2. Description of the Related Art In selling a ringtone or a standby screen of a conventional mobile phone, a payment process (purchase processing) is performed by a mobile phone using the ringtone or the standby screen.
[0003]
Therefore, the settlement method is limited to a method unique to each mobile phone company, and the download destination is also limited to a mobile phone having purchased a ringtone or a standby screen. Also, when a user replaces a mobile phone, the downloaded content cannot be left.
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has been made in view of the above circumstances. In purchasing content such as a ringtone, a payment process (purchase process) can be performed from a terminal other than a terminal that downloads the content. The purpose is to provide technology that enables it.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The above problems can be solved by the following configurations of the invention.
[0005]
According to a first aspect of the present invention, in the content selling method for selling content via a network, the content selling server sends a content purchase request including a content ID and an address of the second terminal from the first user terminal. Receiving, the content sales server generating an access destination address for downloading the content corresponding to the content ID, and the content sales server or the download server transmitting the access destination address to the second terminal; And when the content is downloaded in the second terminal, the download server does not accept subsequent access to the access destination address.
[0006]
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, when purchasing content, such as a ringtone melody, it becomes possible to perform a purchase process from a terminal other than a mobile phone etc. which downloads content.
[0007]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the content sales server has a purchase method management table for recording a purchase type for each user ID, and the content sales server performs a purchase in a content purchase request from the first user terminal. When the type is the coupon type and the purchase type of the coupon type is already recorded in the purchase method management table corresponding to the user ID, the content sales server sets the type corresponding to the user ID. Reducing the number of valid coupon tickets recorded. According to the present invention, a sales method using a coupon system can be realized.
[0008]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the content sales server has a purchase method management table that records a purchase type for each user ID, and the content sales server performs a purchase in a content purchase request from the first user terminal. If the type is the membership method for the predetermined period, the content sales server checks that the expiration date condition recorded in the purchase method management table corresponding to the user ID is satisfied, and then checks the access destination address. Generate According to the present invention, for example, a monthly membership sales method can be realized.
[0009]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the content sales server has a purchase history management table that records an ID of a content group to which the content belongs in association with a user ID, The content sales server checking whether or not the ID of the content group to which the content requested in the request belongs is recorded in the purchase history management table corresponding to the user ID in the content purchase request; The content sales server generates an access destination address corresponding to the content requested in the content purchase request without charging the user.
[0010]
According to the present invention, a user who has purchased a product belonging to a certain group can be provided with a so-called set sale service that can purchase other products of the group for free.
[0011]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the content sales server has means for recording the number of re-downloads in association with the content ID, and the content sales server reads the content from the first terminal. When there is a download request, the number of re-downloads corresponding to the content is referred to, and if the number is less than or equal to a predetermined value, an access destination address for re-downloading the content is generated.
[0012]
According to the present invention, the content can be re-downloaded after judging whether or not the re-download is illegal.
[0013]
The invention according to claims 6 to 10 is a program suitable for executing a process in the content selling device.
[0014]
According to the present invention described above, content can be purchased from a terminal other than a mobile phone or the like, so that content can be purchased using various payment methods currently widely used, such as a credit card and Web money. Further, since the user can specify the download destination address (URL) at the time of purchase, it is possible to present a ringing melody, a standby screen, or the like to another person. In addition, even when the user changes the mobile phone, the download can be made possible again by a report from the user.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a content access destination URL that can be used only once for content sales is transmitted to a terminal specified at the time of a purchase request, so that a terminal performing a content purchase operation is separated from a terminal that actually downloads the content. I have.
[0015]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a content sales system according to the present invention.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 1, the content sales system of the present invention includes a billing DB server 1 for managing user information and purchase history, a download server 2 for transmitting content to a download terminal 4, and a client terminal 3 for performing purchase application and the like. A download terminal 4 for actually downloading and using contents is connected via a communication network 5 such as the Internet.
[0017]
The client terminal 3 is, for example, a computer such as a PC, and a user performs a content purchasing operation from the client terminal 3 using a WWW browser screen or the like. The download terminal 4 is, for example, a mobile phone connectable to the Internet. The functions of the billing DB server 1 and the download server 2 are realized by a program for executing the processing of the present invention installed in a computer constituting the server.
[0018]
(Processing flow)
Next, a processing flow when the user purchases a new content (ring melody) will be described with reference to FIG.
[0019]
First, a user makes a new purchase request for a ringtone melody on the client terminal 3 (step 1). The accounting DB server 1 that has received the new purchase request from the client terminal 3 transmits a user information registration request to the client terminal 3 (step 2). Then, the user inputs a mail address, a password, a credit number, a mail address for transmitting the download URL, and the like to the client terminal 3, and the client terminal 3 transmits the information to the charging DB server 1 as user information and charging information ( Step 3). The charging DB server 1 transfers download information (content ID, URL transmission destination mail address, etc.) to the download server 2 using the purchase user ID as a key. When the user information and the like are registered in the accounting DB server 1 and the download server 2, a sales completion message and an authentication password are displayed on the client terminal 3 (step 4). Subsequently, the accounting DB server 1 generates a one-time URL that can be accessed only once based on the user information, and transfers it to the download server 2. (Step 5). In this specification, the “content ID” includes the meaning of a content name in addition to a symbol and a number for identifying the content.
[0020]
The download server 2 transmits the URL of the download destination to the download terminal 4 designated by the user at the time of the purchase request (step 6). The user of the download terminal 4 accesses the URL transmitted from the download server 2 and makes an incoming melody download request (step 7).
[0021]
The download server 2 receives the incoming melody download request from the download terminal 4 and makes an authentication password request to the download terminal 4 (step 8). The download terminal 4 transmits the password input by the user to the download server 2 (step 9). When the authentication is completed using the password received from the download terminal 4, the download server 2 downloads the incoming melody to the download terminal 4 ( In step 10), the URL delivered to the user is determined to be used (step 11), and access is rejected even if the URL is accessed thereafter (for example, a display indicating that downloading is not possible is performed).
[0022]
In the present invention, as described later, a monthly membership system or a coupon type sales method is possible, and a processing flow in a case where a monthly member or a user who has purchased a coupon ticket purchases for the second time or later will be described with reference to FIG. .
[0023]
When the user makes a request to purchase a ringtone melody on the client terminal 3 (step 21), the accounting DB server 1 requests user login information (member information) from the client terminal 3 (step 22). The user inputs login information (user information) such as a user mail address and a password to the client terminal 3, and the client terminal 3 transmits the information to the accounting DB server 1 (step 23).
If it is determined that the user's login information is correct and that the user has the right to download the incoming melody as a coupon or a monthly membership, the charging DB server 1 transfers the download information to the download server 2 using the purchase user ID as a key. When the information is registered in the accounting DB server 1 and the download server 2, a sales completion message and an authentication password are displayed on the client terminal 3 (step 24). The charging DB server 1 generates a one-time URL corresponding to the incoming melody in the current purchase, and transfers it to the download server 2 (step 25).
[0024]
The download server 2 transmits the URL of the download destination to the download terminal 4 designated first by the user (step 26). The user of the download terminal 4 accesses the URL transmitted from the download server 2 and makes an incoming melody download request (step 27).
[0025]
The download server 2 receives the incoming melody download request from the download terminal 4 and makes an authentication password request to the download terminal 4 (step 28). The download terminal 4 transmits the password input by the user to the download server 2 (step 29), and when the authentication is completed using the password received from the download terminal 4, the download melody is downloaded to the download terminal 4 ( Step 30), assume that the URL delivered to the user has been used.
[0026]
(Details of processing in the server)
Next, the processing on the server side in the case of a new purchase and in the second and subsequent cases will be described in more detail.
[0027]
First, a case of a new purchase will be described with reference to FIG.
[0028]
By transmitting a user ID, a password, a purchased merchandise ID, a ticket type (the type of purchase method is referred to as a ticket type), a credit number, and a URL transmission destination from the client terminal 3 to the charging DB server 1, the incoming melody is transmitted. A purchase request is made (step 31).
[0029]
The charging DB server 1 registers the charging information of the user (user ID, password, credit number, etc.) in the user information table (step 32). Subsequently, the charging DB server 1 registers the purchase method selected by the user (ticket type; in this embodiment, either the monthly method, the coupon method, or the single item purchase) in the purchase method management table (step 33). .
Next, the product ID of the download server 2 (also referred to as content ID) and the product group name extracted from the product management table are registered in the purchase history management table (step 34), and the user ID and the purchase are stored in the download management table of the download server 2. The registered product ID is registered (step 35). The purchase history management table includes the number of re-downloads and the latest download execution date along with the user ID, the product ID, and the product group name. Used to determine whether to download. The download management table is a table for managing whether or not the download of the content purchased by the user has been completed. If the download has been completed in this table, the download server 2 performs the download even if the download request is received again. Reject the request.
[0030]
Thereafter, a purchase completion mail is transmitted from the accounting DB server 1 to the client terminal 3 (step 36), and a download URL is transmitted from the download server 2 to the download terminal 3 (step 37).
When the client terminal 3 accesses the URL and downloads the incoming melody, the download management table records that the product has been downloaded to the user.
[0031]
The user information table, the purchase method management table, and the purchase history management table are held by the charging DB server 1, and the download management table is held by the download server 2. The merchandise management table may be held by either the download server 2 or the billing DB server 1.
[0032]
In the above-described processing, charging to the user (payment processing using a credit card number or the like) is appropriately performed based on the user information and the purchased product information in the purchase history management table.
[0033]
Next, the case of the second or subsequent purchase will be described.
[0034]
In the case of the second or subsequent purchase, since the user information has already been registered, instead of registering the user information in step 32 of FIG. 4, authentication is performed based on information transmitted from the user. The difference is that a purchase method management table is used to check whether the purchase method specified in the purchase request can be purchased instead of registering the purchase method at 33. The confirmation as to whether or not the purchase can be made by the purchase method specified in the purchase request is performed as follows.
[0035]
The ticket type is checked, and if it is a coupon method, it is checked whether the coupon valid number corresponding to the user remains in the purchase method management table. In the case of the coupon system, since the fee for the number of coupons is paid at the time of the first purchase, the user is not charged for the second and subsequent times, and the number of valid coupon tickets is reduced by 1 after the purchase is completed.
[0036]
In the case of the monthly method, it is checked whether or not the purchase date and time is within the expiration date corresponding to the user in the purchase method management table, and if it is within the expiration date, the URL is generated and transmitted without charging the user. I do.
[0037]
(Re-download)
In the content sales system of the present invention, re-downloading from the download terminal 4 is enabled by using the purchase history management table. Thus, when the download terminal 4 is changed, the user can download the same incoming melody to the changed terminal free of charge. The processing flow of the re-download will be described with reference to FIG.
[0038]
The user makes a redownload request from the client terminal 3 by changing the terminal (step 41). Subsequently, the billing DB server 1 issues a request for inputting member information to the client terminal 3 (step 42). The user inputs login information (user information) such as a user mail address and a password to the client terminal 3, and the client terminal 3 transmits the information to the accounting DB server 1 (step 43).
The billing DB server 1 performs authentication using the information received from the client terminal 3, checks the number of re-downloads and the download date up to the previous time (confirms that the reporting frequency is not high) (Step 44), If it is recognized that the report is not a declaration, a URL for new download is set in the download server 2. Further, the number of times of re-downloading is increased by 1 (step 45). The accounting DB server 1 displays the completion of the re-download setting and the authentication password on the screen (step 46). For example, if the number of re-downloads is 3 or more, it is regarded as an invalid declaration, and if the download execution date is within 10 days from the current day, it is regarded as an invalid declaration. to decide.
[0039]
The download server 2 transmits the download URL to the download terminal after the change (step 47), and the user accesses the transmitted URL and makes a download request (step 48). The download server 2 requests the user to input a password (step 49), and the user inputs a password for authentication to the download terminal 4 (step 50). When the authentication of the password in the download server 2 is completed, the incoming melody is delivered to the user (step 51), and after the delivery of the incoming melody is completed, the URL is changed to used (step 52).
[0040]
(Set sale)
Further, in the present invention, since not only a single product but also a plurality of products are managed as a product group in the product management table, a set sale with another incoming melody can be realized. For example, a service in which, when a certain product is purchased, another product belonging to the product group is provided free of charge can be realized as follows.
[0041]
When the user purchases a certain product, the user is notified that another product can be obtained free of charge, and when the user makes a purchase request for the free product, the charging DB server 1 sets the product ID of the product to The corresponding product group is extracted from the product management table, the purchase history of the product group of this user ID is confirmed in the purchase history management table, and it is confirmed that the product belonging to the same product group has been purchased before. The one-time URL is generated without charging the user.
[0042]
In addition to the above method, a free product sold as a set may be downloaded from the download terminal 4 at the same time as the original product without a request from the client terminal 3 again. The URL may be provided separately from the original product URL.
[0043]
Further, according to the configuration of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1, it is possible to purchase an arbitrary product, so that a product other than the ringtone melody can be used as a product in the product group of the product management table by applying the set selling method. In addition, it is possible to provide an additional service such as making it possible for a CD purchase user to download a free ringtone. This can be realized, for example, as follows.
[0044]
When the user selects the purchase of a CD from the client terminal 3, the accounting DB server 1 confirms that there is a free incoming melody (content ID for additional service) in the product group of the CD by referring to the product management table. Then, a message that the incoming melody can be provided free of charge when the CD is purchased is displayed on the client terminal 3, and the URL of the download destination is input in addition to the user information necessary for purchasing the CD. When the user makes a purchase request for the CD, the accounting DB server 1 performs a CD purchase process, generates a one-time URL for a free ringing melody, and sends the URL to the download destination terminal from the download server 2. Send.
[0045]
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and applications are possible within the scope of the claims.
[0046]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, when a content purchase request is received from a client terminal (PC), a URL for downloading the content is transmitted to a terminal (eg, a mobile phone) different from the client terminal after the payment is completed. As a result, various payment methods such as credit charging and payment with Web money can be used for selling contents to mobile phones and the like for which payment methods are limited.
In addition, since the billing DB server manages the user information and the information on the purchase method together, it is possible to provide a wide variety of sales models such as a coupon system and a monthly membership system.
[0047]
Further, by managing the user purchase history information, re-downloading of the content can be permitted even when the user changes the terminal that actually uses the content.
Also, in the embodiment of the present invention, a one-time URL is issued to the terminal set at the time of content purchase, and the content is downloaded from the URL. However, the content is not limited to a ringtone melody, and may be a net game or the like. In addition, it is also possible to provide a product other than digital contents by inputting a delivery destination of the product on a page displayed by the URL.
[0048]
In addition, since the transmission destination of the one-time URL is specified when purchasing the content, the distribution destination of the content can be limited to the specific terminal, and the incoming melody and the standby screen can be presented to a friend.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a content sales system.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a processing flow when a user newly purchases a content (ring melody).
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a processing flow in a case where purchase is performed for the second time or later.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing in detail a process in the case of a new purchase.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a processing flow of re-downloading.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 billing DB server 2 download server 3 client terminal 4 download terminal 5 communication network

Claims (10)

In a content selling method for selling content via a network,
The content sales server receiving a content purchase request including the content ID and the address of the second terminal from the first user terminal;
A step in which the content sales server generates an access destination address for downloading the content corresponding to the content ID, and the content sales server or the download server transmits the access destination address to the second terminal;
Stopping the download server from accessing the subsequent access destination address when the content is downloaded in the second terminal. The content sales server has a purchase method management table that records a purchase type for each user ID,
When the purchase type in the content purchase request from the first user terminal is the coupon type, and the purchase type of the coupon type is already recorded in the purchase method management table corresponding to the user ID, 2. The content selling method according to claim 1, wherein the content selling server has a step of reducing the number of valid coupon tickets recorded corresponding to the user ID. The content sales server has a purchase method management table that records a purchase type for each user ID,
If the purchase type in the content purchase request from the first user terminal is the membership method for a predetermined period, the content sales server satisfies the expiration date condition recorded in the purchase method management table corresponding to the user ID. 2. The content selling method according to claim 1, wherein the access destination address is generated after confirming that the access destination address has been updated. The content sales server has a purchase history management table that records an ID of a content group to which the content belongs in association with a user ID,
A step in which the content sales server checks whether or not the ID of the content group to which the content requested in the content purchase request belongs is recorded in the purchase history management table corresponding to the user ID in the content purchase request;
2. If the content is recorded, the content sales server generates an access destination address corresponding to the content requested in the content purchase request without charging the user. How to sell. The content sales server has means for recording the number of re-downloads in association with the content ID,
Upon receiving a request for re-downloading the content from the first terminal, the content sales server refers to the number of re-downloads corresponding to the content, and if the number of times is equal to or less than a predetermined value, a content download server for re-downloading the content. 2. The content selling method according to claim 1, wherein an access destination address is generated. A content sales program that causes a computer to execute a process for selling content via a network,
Receiving a content purchase request including the content ID and the address of the second terminal from the first user terminal;
Generating an access destination address for downloading the content corresponding to the content ID. A procedure for recording data in a purchase method management table capable of holding a purchase type for each user ID;
When the purchase type in the content purchase request from the first user terminal is the coupon type, and the purchase type of the coupon type is already recorded in the purchase method management table corresponding to the user ID, 7. The content sales program according to claim 6, further causing the computer to execute a procedure for reducing the number of valid coupons recorded corresponding to the user ID. A procedure for recording data in a purchase method management table capable of holding a purchase type for each user ID;
When the purchase type in the content purchase request from the first user terminal is the membership method for a predetermined period, it is confirmed that the condition of the expiration date recorded in the purchase method management table corresponding to the user ID is satisfied. The content sales program according to claim 6, further causing the computer to further execute the procedure of generating the access destination address after the access. Recording data in a purchase history management table capable of holding an ID of a content group to which the content belongs in association with a user ID;
Checking whether or not the ID of the content group to which the content requested in the content purchase request belongs is recorded in the purchase history management table corresponding to the user ID in the content purchase request;
And generating the access destination address corresponding to the content requested in the content purchase request without charging the user if the content is recorded, the computer further executes the procedure. Sales program. A procedure for recording the number of re-downloads corresponding to the content ID,
When there is a request for redownloading the content from the first terminal, the number of redownloads corresponding to the content is referred to, and if the number is less than a predetermined value, the access destination address for redownloading the content is changed. 7. The content sales program according to claim 6, further causing the computer to execute the generating procedure.

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