JP2008112377A - Image forming system, image forming device and image forming program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming system, an image forming device and an image forming program enabling a catalog provider to collect taste information of customers, such as which customer is interested in which item (commodity). <P>SOLUTION: This system comprises identification information of the customers, creates access destination information to allow access to detailed information of the commodity for each commodity, converts the information into code information, such as a barcode, and prints it onto printed matter, such as a catalog. When access based on the access destination information is received by a server, the system analyzes the identification information, specifies the customer, determines the commodity of which detailed information is searched for, and provides the detailed information regarding the desired commodity. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming system, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming program. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming system, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming program that print out printed materials such as catalogs that list various products.

  The catalog is created by properly determining the preferences and needs of the target customers as a whole, determining the products (catalog items) to be posted, and listing them together with information about the products.

  In such a catalog, in order to introduce as many products as possible to customers within the limited space, the amount of space given to a single product is limited, and information about products (product information) is not always sufficient. It was difficult to offer to customers.

As a method of providing detailed information on products, for example, the address of a website introducing products is converted into a barcode and posted together with the product in a magazine advertisement, etc., and a customer who is interested in the product reads a barcode reader. There has been proposed a method for providing detailed information about a product by reading a barcode with a mobile phone equipped with a mobile phone and accessing a website (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-297335 A

  By the way, as a method of printing printed materials such as catalogs, there is variable printing in which variable data is overlaid on a form and printed out. By changing the product information to variable data, the catalog ( One to one catalog) can be created.

  In order to create this one-to-one catalog, it is very important to collect information (preference information) related to customer preferences such as what products are interested.

  By applying the method proposed in Patent Document 1 to printed materials such as catalogs, it is possible to provide detailed product information about the products listed in the catalog. Despite obtaining detailed information, the catalog provider side could not collect customer preference information.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides an image forming system, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming program that allow a catalog provider to collect customer preference information such as which customer is interested in which item (product). With the goal.

  An image forming system according to the present invention shows a detailed information storage server having detailed information storage means for storing detailed information related to an item, posting information for posting the item on a printed matter, and a storage location of the detailed information related to the item. Posting information database for storing storage destination information, form registration means for registering the form of the printed matter, customer information storing means for storing introduction item information indicating the items to be posted on the printed matter for each customer, and identification information of the customer And acquiring the posting information and the storage location information based on the introduction item information, generating access destination information based on the storage location information and the identification information, and converting the information into code information. And an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit that prints out the code information superimposed on the form.

  The detailed information storage server further includes preference information acquisition means for acquiring and storing customer preference information based on access to the access destination indicated by the access destination information.

  Next, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention registers posting information for posting an item on a printed material and posting information storage means for storing storage location information indicating a storage location of detailed information related to the item, and forms of the printed material Form registration means, customer information storage means for storing introduced item information indicating the items to be posted on the printed matter for each customer, and identification information of the customers, and the posted information and the storage location information based on the introduced item information An image forming unit that generates access destination information based on the storage destination information and the identification information, converts the information into code information, and prints the posted information and the code information on the form. It is characterized by comprising.

  Further, the present invention provides an image forming program for causing an image forming apparatus to execute processing for printing out a printed matter by superimposing variable information on a form, based on introduction item information indicating items to be posted on the printed matter for each customer. Obtaining the posting information for posting the item on the printed matter and the storage destination information indicating the storage destination of the detailed information relating to the item, and the access destination information based on the storage destination information and the customer identification information Generating an image forming apparatus, causing the image forming apparatus to execute: a step of converting the access destination information into code information; and a step of superposing and printing the posted information and the code information on the form. .

  In the present invention, a provider who provides a printed matter to a customer can efficiently collect the customer's preference information.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, the form for implementing this invention shown below is an example of the specific aspect of this invention, and is not limited to the said form.

  FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the image forming system in the present embodiment.

  As shown in the figure, the image forming system is provided with an image forming apparatus 10 that prints out a printed matter and a detailed information storage server 20 that provides detailed information about the products posted on the printed matter.

  The image forming apparatus 10 includes a customer information storage unit 11 that stores information about the customer, a form registration unit 12 that stores a form for performing variable printing by superimposing variable data, and variable data in the form. A posting information database 13 that stores information to be superimposed, a code information generation unit 14 that generates code information to be posted on a printed material, and an image forming unit 15 that prints out the printed material are provided.

  Here, the customer information storage unit 11 stores identification information that can identify each customer, and introduction item information that indicates products to be placed on the printed matter provided to the customer.

  The form registration unit 12 stores a form for printing out a catalog (printed material) by superimposing publication information for placing a product on the printed material as variable data.

  The publishing information database 13 stores publishing information for publishing products on printed matter, and stores storage location information indicating a storage location where the detailed information is stored. Specifically, for example, image data of products, text (document) data for explaining products, etc. are stored as posted information, and addresses of websites where detailed information about products can be obtained are stored. Store as destination information.

  The code information generation unit 14 generates access destination information indicating an access destination to be accessed in order to receive provision of detailed product information, and the access destination information can be read by a code reader such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code. The code information is generated by converting into correct code information. Specifically, for example, a URL (Uniform Resource) including customer identification information for each product posted on the printed matter using storage information of each product listed in the introduction item information and customer identification information. Locator) is created as access destination information and converted into code information that can be printed on printed matter.

  The image forming unit 15 performs a process for printing out printed matter by superimposing publication information and code information on a form.

  The image forming apparatus 10 includes a storage device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and an arithmetic device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The generation unit 14 and the image forming unit 15 are realized by sequentially reading and processing a program stored in the storage device with an arithmetic device.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 10 is not limited to the one having a print output function for printing out printed matter. For example, the image forming apparatus 10 is connected to a printing apparatus having a print function via a LAN (Local Area Network) or a serial cable. It may be a computer such as a PC (Personal Computer) that belongs to and provides information necessary for printing.

  Using the above configuration, the image forming apparatus 10 obtains information (introduction item information and identification information) related to the customer who provides the printed matter from the customer information storage unit 11 by the code information generation unit 14, and based on the introduction item information. The storage location information is acquired from the publication information database 13, the access destination information is generated for each product to be published on the printed matter, and converted into code information. Next, the image forming unit 15 acquires the introduction item information from the customer information storage unit 11, acquires the posting information from the posting information database 13 based on the introduction item information, and the form registration unit 12 The code information is acquired from the code information generation unit 14 and processing for executing variable printing is performed.

  The information storage server 20 is provided with a detailed information storage unit 21 that stores detailed information of products and a preference information acquisition unit 22 that acquires preference information.

  Here, the preference information acquisition unit 22 analyzes the access destination of the information terminal and determines the product for which the identification information and the detailed information are requested, thereby accessing which detailed information regarding which product (catalog item). Preference information such as whether or not (which products are interested in) is acquired. Specifically, for example, by analyzing the URL (access destination information) accessed from the information terminal and determining the product of detailed information indicated by the URL and the identification information included in the URL, which customer is It analyzes which product related detailed information has been accessed, acquires preference information, and performs a process of changing the access destination to the URL of the Web site that provides the detailed information of the requested product.

  The detailed information storage server 20 includes a storage device such as a RAM, a ROM, and an HDD, and an arithmetic device such as a CPU, and is a computer that can be used as a server that can provide detailed information to an information terminal. The preference information acquisition unit 22 is realized by sequentially reading and processing a program stored in the storage device with an arithmetic device.

  Using the above configuration, when the detailed information storage server 20 is accessed to the detailed information stored in the detailed information storage unit 21 based on the access destination information, the preference information acquisition unit 22 acquires the customer preference information. ,Store.

  The information terminal 30 includes a code reader 31 that reads code information printed on a printed material, a code information processing unit 32 that analyzes the code information, and a detailed information display that performs processing for displaying detailed information on a display screen (not shown). A portion 33 is provided.

  Here, the code information analysis unit 32 analyzes the code information to acquire access destination information, and performs processing for accessing the detailed information storage server 20 based on the access destination information.

  The information terminal 30 includes a storage device such as a RAM, a ROM, and an HDD, and an arithmetic device such as a CPU, and is a communication terminal (computer) that can access a detailed information storage server via a public telephone network or the Internet network. The code information processing unit 32 and the detailed information display unit 33 are realized by sequentially reading and processing a program stored in the storage device with an arithmetic device.

  Further, the information terminal 30 is not limited to a dedicated device that can access the detailed information storage server 20, and has a function as a code reader such as a mobile phone or a portable information terminal, and can access the detailed information storage server 20. Any device can be used.

  Using the above configuration, the information terminal 30 analyzes the code information read by the code reader 31 by the code information processing unit 32 to acquire access destination information, and accesses the detailed information storage server 20 based on the access destination information. . Then, the detailed information processing unit 33 performs processing for displaying the detailed information obtained from the detailed information storage server 20 on the display screen, and displays the detailed information on the display screen.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing flow when printing out a printed matter.

  First, when an image forming apparatus accepts a print instruction for a printed matter according to a customer (step 100), storage location information is extracted based on the introduced item information of the customer (step 101), and the customer's identification information and each product Is used to generate access destination information for each product to be posted on the printed material and converts it into code information (step 102).

  Next, posted information is extracted based on the introduced item information (step 103), the posted information and code information are superimposed on the form, and variable printing is executed (step 104).

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing flow when accessing detailed information of a product based on code information printed on a printed matter.

  First, the information terminal reads the code information printed on the printed matter (step 200), analyzes the code information to obtain the access destination information (step 201), and the detailed information storage server based on the access destination information Is accessed (step 202).

  Next, the detailed information storage server obtains customer preference information by analyzing the access destination of the information terminal and judging the customer identification information and the product for which the detailed information is requested (step 203). The detailed information of the requested product is provided to the information terminal (step 204).

  Then, the information terminal performs a process for displaying the detailed information provided from the detailed information storage server on the display screen (step 205).

  As described above, in the present embodiment, by reading the code information printed on the printed matter provided to the customer with the information terminal and accessing the detailed information, the provider of the printed matter can acquire the preference information of the customer. Therefore, customer preference information can be collected efficiently. .

1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming system in an embodiment according to the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of a process at the time of printing out printed matter. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of a process at the time of accessing the detailed information of goods based on the code information printed on printed matter.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Image forming apparatus 11 ... Customer information storage part 12 ... Form registration part 13 ... Publication information database 14 ... Code information generation part 15 ... Image formation part 20 ... Information storage server 21 ... Detailed information storage part 22 ... Preference information acquisition part 30 ... Information terminal 31 ... Code reader 32 ... Code information processing unit 33 ... Detailed information display unit

Claims (4)

A detailed information storage server comprising detailed information storage means for storing detailed information on items;
A publishing information database for storing publishing information for publishing the item on printed matter and storage location information indicating a storage location of detailed information regarding the item;
Form registration means for registering the form of the printed matter;
Customer information storage means for storing introduction item information for each customer indicating the item to be posted on the printed matter and identification information of the customer;
The posting information and the storage location information are acquired based on the introduction item information, the access destination information is generated based on the storage location information and the identification information, and converted into code information. An image forming system comprising: an image forming device including an image forming unit that prints and outputs the image on the form.   2. The image formation according to claim 1, wherein the detailed information storage server further includes preference information acquisition means for acquiring and storing customer preference information based on access to the access destination indicated by the access destination information. system. Posting information storage means for storing posting information for posting an item on printed matter and storage location information indicating a storage location of detailed information about the item;
Form registration means for registering the form of the printed matter;
Customer information storage means for storing introduction item information for each customer indicating the item to be posted on the printed matter and identification information of the customer;
The posting information and the storage location information are acquired based on the introduction item information, the access destination information is generated based on the storage location information and the identification information, and converted into code information. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit that prints out the image superimposed on the form. In an image forming program for causing an image forming apparatus to execute processing for printing out a printed matter with variable information superimposed on a form,
Based on the introduction item information indicating the item to be posted on the printed matter for each customer, obtaining the storage location information indicating the storage location of the posting information for posting the item on the printed matter and the detailed information on the item;
Generating access destination information based on the storage location information and the customer identification information;
Converting the access destination information into code information;
An image forming program for causing an image forming apparatus to execute a step of printing out the posted information and the code information by superimposing them on the form.

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