JP4186303B2 - Data distribution system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a data distribution system, and more particularly to a data distribution system configured to record desired book data on a data recording medium such as an optical disc brought in by a user.
[0002]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, social systematization in which book data is recorded on a rewritable optical disc or other recording medium and widely distributed, and the data is reproduced on a portable electronic book player or on a personal computer has been studied. Yes. Book data is not limited to paperback books, weekly magazines, monthly magazines, and specialized magazines, but includes everything that has been distributed as printed materials such as newspapers and advertisements. Use in meaning.
[0003]
In order to realize the system, it is necessary to be able to easily record (update) desired book data at a place where a user can easily visit, such as a convenience store or a station shop.
[0004]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a data distribution system capable of easily recording desired data on a recording medium and distributing it.
[0005]
Configuration, operation and effect of the invention
In order to achieve the above object, a data distribution system according to the present invention is specified from storage means for storing a plurality of data , attachment / detachment means for attaching / detaching a recording medium, and a plurality of data stored in the storage means. selecting means for selecting the data, while the recording means, the recording medium in the detachable unit is loaded for recording specific data selected by the selection means on a recording medium loaded into the detachable unit, Display means for reading and displaying the specific data recorded on the recording medium by the recording means, input means for accepting a user's confirmation for the specific data displayed by the display means, and the input means And a discharging unit that discharges the recording medium from the attaching / detaching unit after receiving user confirmation .
[0006]
The attachment / detachment means, selection means, recording means, display means, input means and discharge means are integrated as a distribution unit and installed at a plurality of locations, and the storage means and the plurality of distribution units are connected via communication means. It is preferable. The communication means includes a telephone line and satellite communication means.
[0009]
It is preferable to install a large number of recording medium attaching / detaching means and selecting means as a unit, and since the storage means is enormous in volume of data and frequently updated, It is installed as a capacity accumulation center and takes the form of transmitting data to a number of distribution units. If the data to be distributed is limited, a part of the data that is often desired may be stored in the distribution unit.
[0010]
According to the above present invention, the user can load the recording medium in the removable unit, it is possible to obtain data desired by a simple task of operation selection means, the input means.
[0013]
(Overall system configuration)
FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a data distribution system according to the present invention. This system is roughly composed of one electronic book data storage center 1 and a large number of electronic book vending machines 2. The storage center 1 is installed in one place in the whole country or one main area, and electronic data of every book is stored. One or a plurality of vending machines 2 are installed in many places (convenience stores, station shops, etc.) that are easy for the user to use. The storage center 1 and the vending machine 2 can exchange data via a telephone line 3 or a communication satellite 4. There are three communication paths indicated by arrows a, b, and c in FIG.
[0014]
The vending machine 2 reads electronic book data from the storage center 1 in response to a request from a user (book data purchaser), and writes the electronic book data to a recording medium 6 that can be played back by the electronic book player 5.
[0015]
The recording medium (electronic book) 6 includes a recording element capable of recording / reading / erasing, such as optical recording, magneto-optical recording, magnetic recording, and nonvolatile semiconductor. The electronic book player 5 has display screens 5a and 5b composed of liquid crystal or the like, the recording medium 6 can be attached and detached, and the book data recorded on the attached recording medium 6 is reproduced on the display screen. it can.
[0016]
(Vending machine configuration)
FIG. 2 shows the front of the electronic book vending machine 2. A display device 21, an operation device 22, a cash input device 23, a cash card receiving device 24, a recording medium receiving device 25, a change discharging device 26, a purchased recording medium discharging device 27, and the like are installed on the front portion. The operation device 22 includes a keyboard for inputting characters, operation buttons for selecting books, and the like. Further, a touch switch may be displayed on the screen and configured as an operation device.
[0017]
(Control circuit)
FIG. 3 shows a control circuit of the electronic book vending machine 2. This control circuit is configured around a control unit 31 composed of a CPU, and reads / writes data to / from the storage center 1, the operation device 22, the data storage device 33, the display device 21, and the input recording medium 6. A playback device 34, a recording / erasing device 35 for the recording medium 6, and the purchased recording medium discharging device 27 are provided. The cash input device 23, the cash card receiving device 24, and the change discharging device 26 are connected to the control unit 31 via the clearing device 36. The data storage device 33 temporarily stores the book data from the storage center 1 received by the transmission / reception device 32. The purchased recording medium ejecting device 27 stocks a large number of new recording media that have been initialized and have no book data recorded thereon, and eject new recording media in exchange for a price in accordance with the user's operation.
[0018]
(Control procedure)
Next, how to use the electronic book vending machine 2 will be described together with the control procedure of the control unit 31.
[0019]
(Initial setting)
FIG. 4 shows a main routine of the control unit 31. When the control unit 31 is reset, each component device is set to an initial state in step S1. In step S2, information to be displayed on the display device 21 is read out during standby. This information is set by the store where the vending machine 2 is installed or transmitted from the storage center 1 and is advertisement information of a specific book. In step S3, the information is displayed on the display device 21.
[0020]
(Operation processing)
FIG. 5 shows a control procedure of the operation device 22 by a user operation. When any operation is performed by the user, first, at step S11, it is determined whether or not the sales button of the new recording medium is operated. If sales are requested, the sales of the new recording medium are processed at step S12. . Details of this sales process are omitted.
[0021]
On the other hand, if the recording medium has been inserted into the receiving device 25 (YES in step S13), the book data already recorded on the recording medium (cancel / return) or deletion of the recording is requested in step S14. If cancel / erase is requested, cancel / erase processing is executed in step S15. If not cancel / erase, the electronic book sales process is executed in step S16.
[0022]
If no recording medium is inserted (NO in step S13), it is determined that the user is searching for an electronic book to be purchased, and it is determined in step S17 whether or not the user performs a keyword search, and the keyword search is performed. In step S18, keyword search processing is executed. Otherwise, in step S19, the genre-specific books are displayed and the user selects the desired book.
[0023]
Hereinafter, each control procedure in steps S15, S16, S18, and S19 will be described in detail.
[0024]
(Electronic book display)
6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show subroutines for electronic book sales and electronic book display executed in steps S16 and S19. First, an electronic book display process will be described. A book genre list is displayed on the display device 21 based on an operation of a user's selection start button. When the store that owns the vending machine 2 has set a specific priority small category book genre (YES in step S21), a book list of the priority small category genre is displayed in step S22. Note that a list of books sold today may be displayed during standby (see FIG. 13A).
[0025]
If the priority genre is not set, a list of large-scale book genres such as magazines, technical books, novels, and practical books is displayed in step S23 (see FIG. 13B). Here, when the user selects one genre from the book genre list, the category of the genre is displayed. For example, when a magazine is selected, there are medium classifications such as science, sports, and automobiles. When a practical book is selected, there are medium classifications such as hobbies, business, languages, etc. (see FIG. 13C).
[0026]
Further, when one of the medium categories is selected, a small category of the genre is displayed. For example, when a sport is selected, baseball, soccer, skiing, or the like is displayed as a small category (see FIG. 13D). When a practical book is selected, fishing, pets, paintings, etc. are displayed. When the user selects one of the small categories, a list in which actual book names in the genre are listed is displayed (see FIG. 13E).
[0027]
Depending on the setting of the store, if there is a book genre that is desired to be preferentially sold by the vending machine 2, a list of the priority small category genres may be displayed from the standby time.
[0028]
(Book data recording)
If it is confirmed in step S24 that the user has selected the desired book, the selected book is displayed in step S25, and it is determined whether or not the recording medium is loaded in the receiving device 25 in step S26. If it is not loaded, a message is displayed in step S27 to load a recording medium (see FIG. 13F), and the process waits until a purchase cancel operation is performed in step S28 or until a recording medium is loaded.
[0029]
When the recording medium is loaded (YES in step S26), a confirmation display for recording the book data on the recording medium is performed to the user in step S41. If the necessity of recording is confirmed in step S42, the state in which money is settled (such as inserting cash or using a credit card) is confirmed in step S43. If the settlement has not been completed, the settlement is requested in step S44, and the process waits until the purchase cancel operation is performed in step S45 or until the settlement is performed. When the completion of the settlement is confirmed (YES in step S43), the book data is recorded on the recording medium in step S46, and the recording date and time is recorded.
[0030]
(Record of billing information for next issue / next volume)
If the book recorded in step S46 is scheduled to be released in the next issue / next volume (YES in step S47), the user is asked in step S48 whether or not to write the next issue / next volume billing information on the recording medium. If requested, the billing information is recorded on the recording medium in step S49. For users who wish to subscribe, the next / next volume billing information may be automatically recorded.
[0031]
(Reproduction of recorded data)
When the recording of the book data on the recording medium is completed as described above, the recorded book data is reproduced on the display device 21 in step S50, and the user finally confirms the recorded contents. When the content confirmation OK input from the user is confirmed in step S51, the recording medium is discharged from the vending machine 2 in step S52. On the other hand, if the user indicates an intention to cancel the purchase of the book data ( YES in step S53), the recorded content is erased from the recording medium in step S54, the money is re-cleared in step S55, and then recorded in step S52. Eject the medium.
[0032]
(E-book automatic selection)
When a recording medium on which previously purchased book data is recorded is loaded in the vending machine 2, the reading / reproducing device 34 reads the recorded contents of the recording medium in step S31, and whether there is recorded information in step S32. Determine whether or not. If there is already recorded information, it is confirmed in step S33 that the already recorded information is the next issue / next volume charge information, and is recorded on the recording medium and includes the next issue / next volume request information. Then, a list of book titles on which the next issue / next volume is released is displayed on the display device 21 in step S34 (see FIG. 14A). Thereafter, the processing after step S41 is continued to record desired book data on a recording medium.
[0033]
In addition, the recording medium can function as a recording medium dedicated to a specific book. That is, the billing information of the specific book is recorded on the recording medium dedicated to the specific book so that the specific book is automatically selected when the medium is inserted into the vending machine 2, and the billing information is read. A specific book may be automatically recorded by reading by the playback device 34. If this method is adopted, the next issue and the next volume of periodicals such as weekly and monthly magazines can be recorded with a simple operation.
[0034]
(Recorded information use processing)
On the other hand, if there is no next issue / next volume billing information (NO in step S33), the recorded information utilization processing is executed in step S35.
[0035]
FIG. 9 shows a subroutine of recorded information utilization processing executed in step S35. Here, the revised version of the book recorded on the recording medium is searched in step S56, and when the existence of the revised version is confirmed in step S57, the revised book list is displayed on the display device 21 in step S58 ( (See FIG. 14B). When the user selects / decides to purchase the revised version in step S59, the determined book is displayed in step S60, and the processing from step S46 onward is continued.
[0036]
On the other hand, if there is no revised version (NO in step S57), the next issue / next volume of the recorded book is searched in step S61, and if the next issue / next volume is confirmed in step S62, the next issue / next volume is confirmed in step S63. The next volume book list is displayed on the display device 21. Further, even when the purchase of the revised version is not desired (NO in step S59), the step S61 is processed. Next, when the user selects / determines purchase of the next issue / next volume in step S64, the determined book is displayed in step S65, and the processing from step S49 onward is continued.
[0037]
If there is no next issue / next volume (NO in step S62) or if purchase of the next issue / next volume is not desired (NO in step S64), a book in the same small category as the latest recorded book in step S66. The list is displayed on the display device 21. In this case, a book of the same author as the recorded book may be preferentially displayed. When the user selects / determines a book to be purchased from the displayed list in step S67, the determined book is displayed in step S68, and the processing from step S49 is continued. If there is no book to be purchased in the list displayed in step S66 (NO in step S67), the process proceeds to step S23 to display the desired book for each genre.
[0038]
(Recorded information use processing, other examples)
Further, as the recorded information use process, the process may be executed according to the procedure shown in FIG. In this process, as shown in FIG. 15, related books are displayed on the display device 21 at once based on the recorded information, and the user selects / determines from the list.
[0039]
That is, the revised version of the book recorded on the recording medium is searched in step S71, and when the existence of the revised version is confirmed in step S72, the revised book list is displayed on the display device 21 in step S73. If there is no revised version, the next issue / next volume of the recorded book is searched in step S74, and if the next issue / next volume is confirmed in step S75, the next / next volume book list is additionally displayed in step S76. . Further, a book of the same author as the recorded book is searched in step S77, and when a book of the same author is confirmed in step S78, the book list is additionally displayed in step S79. In step S80, a book list of the same small category as the latest recorded book is also displayed.
[0040]
Thereafter, when the user selects / determines a book desired to be purchased from the displayed book list in step S81, the processing after step S49 is continued. If there is no book to be purchased in the displayed book list, the process proceeds to step S23 to display the desired book for each genre.
[0041]
Further, when the recorded information is read in the step S31 shown in FIG. 6, the display as shown in FIG. 14C is performed, and the book related to the book purchased so far is given priority. The user may be asked whether he / she wants to search, and according to the answer, the book list that the user wants to purchase most may be displayed immediately.
[0042]
(Keyword search)
FIG. 11 shows a keyword search subroutine executed in step S18. When a book search is selected in step S17 shown in FIG. 5, first, a keyword input screen is displayed on the display device 21 in step S91 (see FIG. 14D). When the user inputs a book name, author name, and publisher in step S92, a search based on the input is executed in step S93, and the book name found in the search is displayed in step S94. If the user decides to purchase the displayed book in step S95 (select in the case of multiple books), the decided book name is displayed in step S96.
[0043]
Next, in step S97, it is confirmed that the recording medium is loaded in the receiving device 25, and the processing from step S41 onward is processed. If it is not loaded, a message is displayed in step S98 to load a recording medium, and the process waits until a purchase cancel operation is performed in step S99 or until a recording medium is loaded.
[0044]
On the other hand, if the search result is not the user's desired book (NO in step S95), it is determined in step S100 whether to stop the search or to continue the search. If so, the process returns to step S91.
[0045]
(Cancel / Erase)
FIG. 12 shows a cancel / erase subroutine executed in step S15. Here, it is executed when it is desired to return the book data once purchased and when it is desired to erase the recorded content in terms of recording capacity. When the cancel / erased in step S 14 shown in FIG. 5 is selected, first, the content and reads the recording date and time recorded on the recording medium in step S101, and sold within a predetermined time from the recording date in step S102 Books It is determined whether or not there is. Cancelable books are limited to those that have not passed a predetermined time since the recording date. If there is no such book, it is displayed that cancellation is not possible in step S107, and the process proceeds to step S108.
[0046]
If there is a cancelable book, the book list is displayed on the display device 21 in step S103. After the book to be actually canceled is selected / confirmed in step S104, the selected book is erased from the recording medium in step S105, and money is settled in step S106. In this case, the book price that has already been paid is returned, but the communication fee is deducted from the book price and returned.
[0047]
Next, in step S108 and subsequent steps, the recorded contents are erased. This is executed by a user who desires to erase recorded book data, such as when the capacity of the recording medium is reduced. That is, when it is confirmed in step S108 that the user wants to simply delete the book data that does not involve payment, the list of books that can be deleted is displayed on the display device 21 in step S109, and the book that is actually deleted in step S110. After selection / confirmation, the selected book is erased from the recording medium in step S111. In step S112, the recording medium is discharged from the vending machine 2.
[0048]
In the record erasure process, the body data of the recorded book is erased, but bibliographic data such as the book name, author, and genre may be left without being erased. If bibliographic data is left, a priority book selection function based on recorded information can be used. Further, this record erasing function can be effectively used in a library or the like that does not charge for the book price on the assumption that the book will be returned. Even after erasing the text data of a recorded book at the time of returning the book, by using the priority book selection function based on the recorded information, the book can be searched efficiently in a short time.
[0049]
(Appeal display)
As another control procedure, when a book is selected (see steps S25, S34, S60, S65, S68, and S96), a screen for appealing the book is displayed in order to promote the purchase of the book. May be. For example, the screens as shown in FIGS. 14E and 14F are alternately displayed. It may be displayed as a movie, and it is effective if the movie is a movie trailer.
[0050]
(Other embodiments)
The data distribution system according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be variously modified within the scope of the gist.
[0051]
In particular, various configurations are possible for the configuration of an electronic book vending machine or an electronic book player. For vending machines, book data that sells well may be stored to some extent, and a function as a data storage center may be included. In the above embodiment, the vending machine has been described as a business-use product with a fee settlement. However, the vending machine may be installed as a part of a system that provides book data non-commercially in a public place such as a library. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a data distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view showing an electronic book vending machine constituting the system.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control circuit of the electronic book vending machine.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control procedure (main routine) of the control circuit.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of operation processing.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of electronic book display and electronic book sales.
7 is a flowchart showing an electronic book display and electronic book sales subroutine, and is a continuation of FIG.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an electronic book display and electronic book sales subroutine, and is a continuation of FIG.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of recorded information utilization processing.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of another example of recorded information utilization processing.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a keyword search subroutine.
FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a cancel / erase subroutine.
FIG. 13 is an explanatory view showing a display example on a display device of the vending machine.
FIG. 14 is an explanatory view showing another display example on the display device of the vending machine.
FIG. 15 is an explanatory view showing still another display example on the display device of the vending machine.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electronic book data storage center 2 ... Electronic book vending machine 3 ... Communication line 4 ... Communication satellite 5 ... Electronic book player 6 ... Recording medium 21 ... Display apparatus 22 ... Operation apparatus 25 ... Recording medium receiving apparatus 31 ... CPU
32 ... Transmitting / receiving device 33 ... Data storage device 34 ... Reading / reproducing device 35 ... Recording / erasing device

Claims (6)

Storage means for storing a plurality of data;
A detachable means for detaching the recording medium;
Selection means for selecting specific data from a plurality of data stored in the storage means;
Recording means for recording the specific data selected by the selecting means on a recording medium loaded in the attaching / detaching means ;
Display means for reading and displaying the specific data recorded on the recording medium by the recording means in a state in which the recording medium is loaded in the attaching / detaching means;
Input means for accepting user confirmation of the specific data displayed by the display means;
Discharging means for discharging the recording medium from the attaching / detaching means after receiving the user's confirmation by the input means;
A data distribution system comprising: The attachment / detachment means, selection means, recording means, display means, input means and discharge means are integrated as a distribution unit and installed at a plurality of locations.
The storage means and the plurality of distribution units are connected via communication means;
The data distribution system according to claim 1.   3. The data distribution system according to claim 2, wherein the communication means includes a telephone line.   3. The data distribution system according to claim 2, wherein the communication means includes satellite communication means. 2. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein when the recording of the specific data is canceled by the input unit, the recording medium is ejected from the attaching / detaching unit after erasing the specific data from the recording medium. The data distribution system according to claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4. The said recording means records the said specific data after completion | finish of the liquidation with respect to the said specific data, and when the recording of the said specific data is canceled, re-clearing is performed, The said liquidation is performed. Data distribution system.

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