JP2010204817A - Information goods vending machine system, method thereof and program thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information goods vending machine with no distribution server. <P>SOLUTION: Vending machines 11 to 16 are provided with: a common information goods catalog 2 listing all information goods held by a whole vending machine; a wired or radio network connection device for transmitting/receiving information goods information configuring an information request as information related to the request of a customer, the information goods and the common information goods catalog 2 to/from the other vending machine; and a control device for updating and managing the common information goods catalog 2. The controller updates the common information goods catalog based on the information goods information received by a network connection device, and transfers the information goods information to the other vending machine, and when the information goods which is not held by the vending machine is requested from the common information goods catalog, transfers an information request 100 as information related to the request to the other adjacent vending machine, and the network connection device receives the information goods transferred from the other vending machine based on the information request 100. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information goods vending machine system for selling information goods to portable information devices, a method thereof, and a program thereof.

  Mobile information terminals such as mobile phones have been used on a daily basis. Users of such portable information terminals acquire information such as news and weather forecasts that require immediateness via a mobile phone carrier, the Internet, or the like.

  In recent years, there is a further demand for information having a relatively large capacity, such as novels and comics, which have been provided as publications in the past, to be used in portable information terminals.

  However, when large-capacity information is obtained from a service such as a mobile carrier, a packet charge corresponding to the amount of data is usually generated, and the price paid by the user for the information is high, preventing use. For this reason, Patent Document 1 discloses a system for selling information goods to portable information devices.

JP 2008-140215 A

  However, the vending machine according to Patent Document 1 acquires information goods to be sold from a server for information goods distribution through a communication network. Therefore, if a load is placed on the information goods distribution server, and communication with the information goods distribution server becomes impossible due to a failure of the information goods distribution server, an abnormal network to the information goods distribution server, etc., Vending machines will have to stop selling.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an information goods vending machine system that does not require an information goods distribution server, a method thereof, and a program therefor in an information goods vending system for portable information terminals. And

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an information goods vending machine system according to the present invention has a plurality of vending machines connected to each other via a network, and the plurality of vending machines transmits information to an information terminal. In the vending machine system for selling goods, the plurality of vending machines includes a storage device that stores the plurality of information goods, and common information that covers a list of information goods held by the plurality of vending machines as a whole. A list of goods, a display device that displays the information goods that can be sold registered in the common information goods catalog, and the value of the goods, a charging device that collects the price of the information goods, and the information goods stored in the storage device An input device for transmitting information, a wired or wireless information terminal connection device that transfers the information good to the information terminal, an information request that is information related to a customer request, the information good, and the common information good inventory Information goods Wired or wireless network connection device for transmitting / receiving information to / from other vending machines, and updating / managing the common information inventory, the storage device, the display device, the billing device, the input device, the information A control device for controlling the terminal connection device and the network connection device, wherein the control device updates the common information property list based on the information property information received by the network connection device, and When information is transferred to another vending machine by the network connection device and an information good that the vending machine itself does not hold is requested from the common information inventory, the network connection device The information request, which is information related to the request, is transferred to another adjacent vending machine, and the network connection device transmits the other automatic vending machine based on the information request. And wherein receiving information goods transferred from sale machine.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the method of the information goods vending machine according to the present invention is a method for selling information goods to an information terminal with a plurality of vending machines connected to each other via a network. A common information goods catalog covering a list of information goods held in the whole of the plurality of vending machines, an input procedure for storing the information goods, a storage procedure for storing the information goods, A procedure for creating, a procedure for displaying information that can be sold and its price registered in the common information inventory, a charging procedure for collecting the price for the information good, and transferring the information good to the information terminal Wired or wireless information terminal connection procedure, information request that is information related to customer's request, information for configuring the information goods and the common information goods inventory, wired or for transmitting and receiving to other vending machines Wireless A network connection procedure; and a control procedure that updates and manages the common information inventory, and controls the storage procedure, the display procedure, the charging procedure, the input procedure, the information terminal connection procedure, and the network connection procedure. And the control procedure updates the common information inventory based on the information asset information received in the network connection procedure, and transfers the information asset information to another vending machine according to the network connection procedure, And, when the information goods that the vending machine itself does not hold are requested from the common information goods list, it is information related to the request to the other adjacent vending machines by the network connection procedure. An information request is transferred, and the network connection procedure receives an information good transferred from the other vending machine based on the information request. .

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, an information goods vending machine program according to the present invention is a program for selling information goods to an information terminal with a plurality of vending machines connected to each other via a network. A storage process for storing a plurality of the information goods, a process for creating a common information goods inventory covering a list of information goods held in the whole of the plurality of vending machines, A process for displaying the information goods available for sale registered in the common information goods catalog and the consideration thereof, a billing process for collecting the consideration for the information goods, and wired or wireless information for transferring the information goods to the information terminal Wired or wireless network for transmitting / receiving terminal goods, information requests that are information related to customer requests, information goods information constituting the information goods and the common information goods inventory to other vending machines A connection process, and a control process for updating and managing the common information inventory, and controlling the storage process, the display process, the billing process, the input process, the information terminal connection process, and the network connection process, The control process is executed by the vending machine, and the control process updates the common information inventory based on the information asset information received in the network connection process, and the information connection information is transferred to another vending machine by the network connection process. When the information goods that are not held by the vending machine itself are requested from the list of common information goods, the request is made to other adjacent vending machines by the network connection process. The network connection process receives the information good transferred from the other vending machine based on the information request. The features.

  According to the present invention, by sharing information goods with vending machines participating in the network, a server for distributing information goods becomes unnecessary, and a plurality of routes on the network reaching each vending machine are provided. By preparing it, it is possible to provide an information goods vending machine system, a method thereof, and a program thereof that can operate even when a certain communication path becomes unusable due to a network failure.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the vending machine system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the vending machine which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the vending machine system which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the vending machine system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, a vending machine system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of vending machines 11 to 16 connected to each other via a network.

  Each of the vending machines 11 to 16 includes at least a storage device that stores a plurality of information goods, a common information goods catalog 2 that covers a list of information goods held by the whole of the vending machines 11 to 16, and a vending machine. A display device that displays maintenance information of the machines 11 to 16 and the information property that can be sold registered in the common information item list and the consideration thereof, and accepts a purchaser's operation input, and a charging device that collects the consideration of the information good , An input device for the information goods supplier to store the information goods in the storage device, a wired or wireless information terminal connection device for transferring the information goods to the information terminal owned by the customer, and information relating to the customer's request Updating and managing the wired or wireless network connection device for transmitting / receiving information goods information constituting the information request, information goods and common information goods catalog 2 to other vending machines, and the common information goods catalog 2; Storage device Display device, charging device, and a control unit for controlling the input device, the information terminal connection unit and a network connection device.

  Note that information goods refer to information that has a relatively large capacity, such as novels that are text information, comics that are still images, and the like that have been provided as publications in the past, or moving images and sounds.

  Here, the input device may be a storage device such as a memory card or a DVD.

  Also, the vending machines 11 to 16 store a copy of the information goods acquired and sold from other vending machines in the past in their own storage device, and then request for the purchase of this information goods or other automatic goods. When there is a transfer request from the vending machine, a copy of the information good may be provided.

  In this case, when storing a copy of information goods that have been acquired from other vending machines in the past and stored in its own storage device, the number of information goods or the amount of data to be stored is limited. If it is likely to exceed, the control unit may control a copy information item organizing function such as deleting the oldest copy.

  Alternatively, the vending machines 11 to 16 hold a plurality of storage medium readers such as memory cards and DVDs as input devices, and the information goods in the storage medium are only inserted while the storage medium is inserted into the reader. Control may be performed by the control device so that the sales can be stopped and the sales of the information goods can be stopped as soon as the storage medium is removed from the reader.

[Operation of First Embodiment]
The operation of the first embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Here, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vending machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 2, when the vending machine of the vending machine system according to the first embodiment of the present invention receives a purchase request for information goods from a customer (step 201), the vending machine's own storage device It is determined whether there is an information good requested by the customer (step 202).

  When the information good requested by the customer exists in its own storage device (step 202: YES), the procedure is shifted to step 204.

  If the information item requested by the customer does not exist in its own storage device (step 202: NO), the request is transferred to a nearby vending machine (step 203).

  After the transfer (step 204), the customer is requested to pay for the information goods (step 205), and it is determined whether or not an amount greater than the requested amount has been inserted (step 206). When the requested amount is not reached (step 206: NO), the procedure is returned to step 205, and the price is requested again.

  On the other hand, when the price more than requested is input (step 206: YES), the customer is requested to connect the information terminal (step 207), and after the connection, whether the information terminal is normally connected or not is determined. Judgment is made (step 208).

  If not normally connected (step 208: NO), the procedure returns to step 207 to request that the information terminal be connected again.

  When the information terminal is normally connected (step 208: YES), the information goods are transferred to the connected information terminal (step 209), and the sales are completed (step 210).

  When the above operation is applied to FIG. 1, the six vending machines 11 to 16 in FIG. 1 are automatically connected to the automatic vending machines adjacent on the network when new or new information goods are added to the storage device. The information goods information including the type and quantity of the information goods that the storage device has in the storage device and the identifier that identifies the vending machine is transmitted to the vending machine, and at the same time, the common information goods inventory 2 that the self possesses is updated.

  On the other hand, the vending machine that has received the information good information from the other vending machine by the network connection device updates the common information good inventory 2 held by the control device based on the received information good information, The information goods information is transferred to another vending machine, for example, an adjacent vending machine by the network connection device. By repeating this, the common information inventory 2 having the same contents can be configured in all vending machines participating in the network.

  As a result, the vending machine 11 can sell all the information goods registered in the common information goods catalog 2. In FIG. 1, the vending machine 11 has only the information goods 11a and the information goods 11b, but even if the customer requests other information goods, if it is registered in the common information goods inventory 2, This is because the vending machine 11 can acquire the requested information goods from other vending machines via the network.

  When the control device of the vending machine 11 is requested from the common information item list 2 for the information item 11a held by the vending machine 11, the information owned by the customer of the information item 11a held by the vending machine 11 is obtained. The sales are completed by transmitting to the terminal 4.

  When the control device of the vending machine 11 requests the information goods 15a not held by itself from the common information goods catalog 2, the request is made to the adjacent vending machines 12 and 13 by the network connection device. It is possible to transfer the information request 100, which is information related to.

  In FIG. 1, since the vending machines 12 and 13 do not hold the information goods 15a, the vending machines 12 and 13 further transfer the information request 100, and the information request 100 holds the information goods 15a. The transfer is repeated until 15 is reached.

  When receiving the information request 100, the vending machine 15 transmits the information goods 15a to the vending machine 11 that is the source of the information request 100.

  When the vending machine 11 receives the information goods 15a from the vending machine 15 through the network connection device, the vending machine 11 completes the sales by transmitting the information goods 15a to the information terminal 4 owned by the customer.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the vending machine system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, a vending machine system 5 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of vending machines 11, 13, and 15 connected to each other via a network, and information goods that are not sold. Information distribution machines 51 and 52 that perform only distribution.

  The information distribution machines 51 and 52 include a storage device for storing a plurality of information goods, an input device for storing the information goods in the storage device, and wired or wireless for transmitting / receiving the information goods to other vending machines. A network connection device, a storage device, an input device, and a control device for controlling the network connection device.

  Here, the input device may be a storage device such as a memory card or a DVD.

  The present invention can be used as a vending machine fixedly installed in various places in the market in order to sell information goods. In addition, the charging function can be omitted and the apparatus can be used as a device for distributing information goods for public services.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vending machine system 2 Common information goods inventory 4 Information terminal 5 Vending machine system 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 Vending machine 11a, 11b, 15a, 15b Information goods 51, 52 Information goods distribution machine 51a, 51b Information goods 100 Information request

Claims (18)

A plurality of vending machines connected to each other via a network, wherein the plurality of vending machines are in a vending machine system that sells information goods to information terminals;
The plurality of vending machines are:
A storage device for storing a plurality of the information goods;
A list of common information goods covering a list of information goods held by the plurality of vending machines as a whole;
A display device for displaying the storable information goods registered in the common information goods catalog and the consideration thereof;
A billing device for collecting the value of the information goods;
An input device for storing the information goods in the storage device;
A wired or wireless information terminal connection device for transferring the information goods to the information terminal;
Wired or wireless network connection device for transmitting / receiving information goods constituting the information request, the information goods and the common information goods catalog to other vending machines, which is information relating to customer requests;
A controller that updates and manages the common information inventory, and controls the storage device, the display device, the charging device, the input device, the information terminal connection device, and the network connection device;
With
The control device updates the common information inventory based on the information asset information received by the network connection device, transfers the information asset information to another vending machine by the network connection device, and When an information good that is not held by the vending machine itself is requested from the common information good inventory, the network connection device requests an information request that is information related to the request to another adjacent vending machine. Forward and
The network connection device receives an information good transferred from the other vending machine based on the information request, and is a vending machine system.   The control device stores a copy of the information good acquired and sold from the other vending machine in the storage device, and thereafter, there is a request for purchase of the information good or a transfer request from another vending machine. The vending machine system according to claim 1, wherein a copy of the information good is provided at the time of receipt.   The control device sets a limit on the number of copies or the data amount of the information goods to be stored in the storage device, and deletes the oldest copy when the limit is likely to be exceeded. The vending machine system according to 2. The input device is a storage medium reading device that is a memory card and a DVD,
The vending machine holds a plurality of the input devices,
4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device performs control so that information goods in the storage medium can be sold only while the storage medium is inserted into the reading device. 5. The vending machine system described in the section. Replace at least one of the vending machines with an information distribution machine that does not sell but only distributes information goods,
The information distribution apparatus includes:
A storage device for storing a plurality of information goods;
An input device for storing the information goods in the storage device;
A wired or wireless network connection device for transmitting and receiving the information goods to other vending machines;
A control device for controlling the storage device, the input device and the network connection device;
The vending machine system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising:   The vending machine system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the information good is character information, a still image, a moving image, or sound. In a method of selling information goods to an information terminal with a plurality of vending machines connected to each other via a network,
In the vending machine,
An input procedure for storing the information goods;
A storage procedure for storing a plurality of the information goods;
A procedure for creating a list of common information goods covering a list of information goods held by the plurality of vending machines as a whole;
A procedure for displaying sellable information goods registered in the common information goods catalog and their consideration;
A billing procedure for collecting consideration for the information goods;
A wired or wireless information terminal connection procedure for transferring the information goods to the information terminal;
An information request that is information relating to a customer request, a wired or wireless network connection procedure for transmitting and receiving information goods information constituting the information goods and the common information goods inventory to other vending machines;
A control procedure that updates and manages the common information inventory, and controls the storage procedure, the display procedure, the charging procedure, the input procedure, the information terminal connection procedure, and the network connection procedure;
With
The control procedure updates the common information inventory based on the information asset information received in the network connection procedure, transfers the information asset information to another vending machine according to the network connection procedure, and When an information good that the vending machine itself does not hold is requested from the common information good inventory, an information request that is information related to the request is issued to another adjacent vending machine by the network connection procedure. Forward and
The network connection procedure receives an information good transferred from the other vending machine based on the information request, and sells the information good.   In the control procedure, a copy of the information goods acquired and sold from the other vending machine is stored in the storage procedure, and after that, there is a request for purchase of the information goods or a transfer request from another vending machine. 8. The method of selling information goods according to claim 7, wherein a copy of the information goods is provided.   The control procedure sets a limit on the number of copies or the data amount of the information goods to be stored in the storage procedure, and deletes the oldest copy when the limit is likely to be exceeded. 8. A method for selling the information good described in 8. The input procedure is a reading procedure from a storage medium such as a memory card and a DVD,
10. The control procedure according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the control procedure controls the storage medium so as to enable sales of information goods in the storage medium only during the reading procedure. A method for selling the information goods described in the paragraph. Replace at least one of the vending machines with an information distribution machine that does not sell but only distributes information goods,
In the information distributor,
An input procedure for storing the information goods;
A storage procedure for storing a plurality of the information goods;
A wired or wireless network connection procedure for transmitting and receiving the information goods to other vending machines;
A control procedure for controlling the storage procedure, the input procedure and the network connection procedure;
The method for selling information goods according to claim 7, comprising:   The method for selling an information good according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the information good is text information, a still image, a moving image, or a sound. In a program that sells information goods to information terminals with multiple vending machines connected to each other via a network,
An input process for storing the information goods;
A storage process for storing a plurality of the information goods;
A process of creating a common information goods catalog that covers a list of information goods held by the plurality of vending machines as a whole;
A process of displaying information goods that can be sold and their consideration registered in the common information goods list;
A billing process for collecting the consideration of the information goods;
Wired or wireless information terminal connection processing for transferring the information goods to the information terminal;
An information request that is information relating to a customer request, a wired or wireless network connection process for transmitting and receiving information goods information constituting the information goods and the common information goods inventory to other vending machines;
Updating and managing the common information inventory, and control processing for controlling the storage processing, the display processing, the charging processing, the input processing, the information terminal connection processing, and the network connection processing;
To the vending machine,
The control process updates the common information inventory based on the information asset information received in the network connection process, transfers the information asset information to another vending machine by the network connection process, and When an information good that is not held by the vending machine itself is requested from the list of common information goods, an information request that is information related to the request is sent to another adjacent vending machine by the network connection process. Forward and
The network connection process receives an information good transferred from the other vending machine based on the information request, and stores the information good.   In the control process, a copy of the information goods acquired and sold from the other vending machine is stored in the storage process. Thereafter, there is a request for purchase of the information goods or a transfer request from another vending machine. 14. The program for selling information goods according to claim 13, wherein a copy of the information goods is provided.   The control process sets a limit on the number of copies or the data amount of the information goods to be stored in the storage process, and deletes the oldest copy when the limit is likely to be exceeded. 14. A program for selling the information goods described in 14. The input process is a process of reading from a storage medium such as a memory card and a DVD,
16. The control process according to claim 13, wherein the control process controls the storage medium so that the information goods in the storage medium can be sold only during the reading process. A program that sells the information goods described in the section. Replace at least one of the vending machines with an information distribution machine that does not sell but only distributes information goods,
An input process for storing the information goods;
A storage process for storing a plurality of the information goods;
Wired or wireless network connection processing for transmitting and receiving the information goods to other vending machines;
Control processing for controlling the storage processing, the input processing, and the network connection processing;
The program for selling information goods according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the information distribution machine is executed.   The program for selling an information good according to any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the information good is text information, a still image, a moving image, or a sound.

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