JP4312500B2 - Advertising printing system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an advertisement printing system. For example, when an employee or the like uses a printer or a copier in a workplace where an intranet is constructed, printing with advertisement is performed, and the cost of consumables is compensated with an advertisement publication fee. It relates to the advertisement printing system.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, an ordinary user may output (print) a color photograph of an image taken by a digital camera (digital camera) via a personal computer (personal computer) installed at home and a color printer. In some cases, a color document is color-copied by a copying machine installed in a convenience store (convenience store).
When such printing or copying is performed, the amount of consumables such as color photographic paper, toner and ink is large, and the financial burden on general users is also large.
[0003]
Therefore, in order to reduce the burden on the user, when printing or copying, there is a proposal to place an advertisement on a part of the output paper and reduce the amount of money required for printing or copying (for example, a patent) Reference 1 (first prior art) and patent reference 2 (second prior art)).
There is also a proposal in which only an advertisement is printed and the cost of consumables required for this is borne by the advertiser (see, for example, Patent Document 3 (Third Prior Art)).
[0004]
However, even if a small advertisement is printed on a part of the original image that the user wants to print, it is considered that the income obtained from the advertisement is small. For example, a banner advertisement on the Internet is a specific example in which a small advertisement is inserted into a large screen (image) to obtain advertising revenue. The market price of this banner advertisement is about 6 million yen at 10 million PV (page view) at a cheap price. For advertisers, it costs about 0.6 yen when displayed once.
[0005]
Since banner advertisements are so low, it is considered that the advertising fee for printed materials cannot be increased too much. Therefore, even if the printing or copying fee is reduced at such a posting fee, it does not seem that the user will be happy.
[0006]
In the third prior art, since the user prints only the advertisement, the original image to be printed by the user and the advertisement do not overlap. Therefore, the original image is printed or copied and the fee is not reduced or free of charge.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-112005 (2nd page, FIG. 4)
[Patent Document 2]
JP 2002-00939 A (page 3)
[Patent Document 3]
JP 2001-347729 A (page 3, FIG. 1)
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, as described above, for example, when a convenience store user makes a color copy of 50 yen per sheet, even if overlap printing is performed, a reduction of about 1 yen (rounded off 0.6 yen to 1 yen) Then, there is almost no merit for convenience store users. Therefore, it can be said that the prior arts of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are not suitable for business purposes such as convenience stores.
[0009]
That is, the business problems of the above-mentioned prior art include not only the printing cost required for consumables for printing and copying, but also the depreciation and maintenance costs for equipment such as copiers installed in convenience stores (such as electricity costs). ) Is prioritized and the rest is returned to a general individual user, so that the individual user is not fully paid back.
[0010]
On the other hand, from a different perspective, companies of a certain size often build an intranet as an in-house system, connect a printer or copier to the intranet, and share the printer or copier. In this case, even if the return money for printing with advertisement is small (for example, 0.6 yen reduction per color copy), the return money is added for each user of the printer or the like. It can be easily managed, and it will be large if the total amount of money returned from a certain department in the company is totaled.
[0011]
The present invention has been made to solve these problems. For example, in the workplace where an intranet is constructed, when an employee or the like uses a printer or a copier, printing with an advertisement is performed, and The purpose is to provide an advertising printing system in which the cost is compensated by an advertising fee.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention in order to achieve this object is achieved by a advertisement printing system overlapping print advertisement, and printing means for performing overlap printing (copying machine or printer 10 of FIG. 1), an over wrapping printing Data for advertisement is registered in advance as advertisement data, and an advertisement server (30) that distributes advertisement data to the printing means that has requested transmission, and a network ( 60), and the printing means transmits a user identification code transmission function (controller 12, interface 14 in FIG. 2) for transmitting a code for identifying a user who has performed overlap printing using the printing means. A numeric value based on the amount of overlap printed by downloading advertisement data from the advertisement server Send to the ad server with, the ad server for each user corresponding to the user identification sign, by adding a number based on the amount of printing, it is constituted to store.
[0013]
If the advertisement printing system has such a configuration, the advertisement server adds and stores the usage results (numerical values based on the printing amount) for each user who uses the printing means, so the user prints once. Even if the unit price of the advertisement obtained at this time is low (for example, 1 yen), it becomes a considerable amount by adding this low unit price. At the stage when this amount is reached, for example, it is appropriated for the cost of consumables such as toner.
[0014]
Further, according to the present invention, the advertisement server registers the unit price of the advertisement scheduled to be distributed and the number of distribution schedules (see FIG. 7), and distributes from the advertisement with the highest unit price to the planned number of distributions, and the same unit price advertisement. Is distributed, the same advertisement is not continuously distributed.
[0015]
If the advertisement printing system is configured as described above, the advertisement server 30 registers the advertisement unit price and the scheduled number of distributions (number of cases) (see FIG. 7) in order of increasing advertisement unit price (in this case, the advertisement unit price is The advertisement is distributed and overlap-printed by the copying machine or the printer 10. When this overlap printing is performed, the same advertisement (for example, “Copy machine is XXXXXX” in FIG. 6) is not continuously distributed. This is because if the contents are continuously distributed, the same user continuously receives the same advertisement, and the effect of the advertisement cannot be expected.
[0016]
Further, the present invention is configured such that the advertisement server distinguishes and registers advertisements for color printing and monochrome printing.
If the advertisement printing system has such a configuration, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, when the advertisement is overlap-printed, color printing and monochrome printing are distinguished. Overlap printing that matches the image can be done.
[0017]
Further, according to the present invention, the printing unit includes a toner unit (toner container 11 in FIG. 2) filled with toner, and the toner unit stores unit price information for storing unit price information required for one overlap printing. (Non-contact type IC chip 11a) is provided, and an advertisement fee greater than the unit price information is requested from the advertisement server.
[0018]
If the advertisement printing system has such a configuration, for example, if the price of one toner unit is 12,000 yen, and 20000 sheets can be printed with A4 standard printing, the unit price per sheet is 0.6 yen. It becomes. Since the price higher than 0.6 yen (for example, 1 yen) is requested from the advertisement server, the printing means can obtain an amount higher than the actual price from the advertiser. Therefore, the consumables cost can be supplemented with the overlap printing advertising fee.
[0019]
According to the present invention, the printing means is one or more of a printer, a copier, and a multifunction peripheral.
If the advertisement printing system has such a configuration, when a printer, a copying machine, or a multifunction peripheral (multifunction peripheral) is used, the cost of consumables can be supplemented by the advertisement fee for overlap printing.
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of an advertisement printing system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
First, the configuration of the advertisement printing system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing the overall configuration of the present embodiment.
As shown in the figure, the advertisement printing system KP includes a user copier or printer 10, an intranet 20, an advertisement server 30, an advertiser terminal 40, gateways 50A and 50B, and the Internet 60. Become.
[0021]
Here, a copier or printer (hereinafter referred to as “copier or the like”) 10 is connected to the Internet 60 via an intranet 20 and a gateway 50A built in a company of a certain company.
The advertisement server 30 is connected to the Internet 60, and stores and distributes advertisements applied for by advertisers, counts distribution results, and manages billing data for advertisement costs to the advertisers.
[0022]
The terminal 40 is an advertiser's PC (personal computer), and is connected to the Internet 60 via a gateway 50B.
Note that the presence of the gateways 50A and 50B is not directly related to the gist of the present invention, and therefore, in the following description, the gateways 50A and 50B are omitted.
[0023]
The copying machine 10 includes a toner container 11, a reading unit 12, a controller 13, an interface 14, and a print engine 15, as shown in FIG.
[0024]
The toner container 11 is a consumable that is filled with toner used in the copying machine 10, and from the viewpoint of the running cost of the copying machine 10, the toner container 11 becomes the center of running costs other than printing paper.
For example, the toner container 11 is filled with 20000 printable toners in standard printing, and the selling price is 12000 yen, so the cost per sheet is 0.6 yen. This cost information (0.6 yen per sheet) is written in the non-contact type IC chip 11 a embedded in the toner container 11.
[0025]
The reading unit 12 reads information (data) written in the non-contact type IC chip 11 a and the information is used for processing of the controller 13.
The controller 13 is connected to the host machine 70 via the interface 14. When the copying machine 10 is a “printer”, the host machine 70 is preferably a PC (personal computer) that transmits character data (printing data), and the copying machine 10 is a “copying machine”. Is a preferred example of a scanner that transmits image data.
[0026]
Print data from the host machine 70 is sent from the controller 13 to the print engine 15 via the interface 14 and printed by the print engine 15.
The controller 13 is connected to the advertisement server 30 via the interface 14 and the Internet 60.
[0027]
Next, the exchange of data when performing advertisement printing will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is an operation procedure diagram of this embodiment.
The operation procedure diagram shown in FIG. 3 shows a case where the host machine 70 is a PC (personal computer) and printing is performed based on printing data from the PC.
[0028]
As shown in the drawing, a print request with an advertisement (overlap print request) is issued from the host machine 70 (advertisement print request, step S1). This print request is made by setting “page for printing with advertisement” in the printer driver shown in FIG.
[0029]
That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the user first checks “Print with advertisement” on the “Print page with advertisement” screen displayed on the host machine 70, and further displays “Advertisement for all pages”. Check “Print only when there is”. This means that “printing is performed only when an advertisement exists over all pages to be printed”.
[0030]
The reason for attaching such a condition is that the advertisement server 30 holds a sufficient amount of advertisement for which a sufficient subsidy can be expected, because it is premised that “the toner price that is a consumable product is subsidized” by performing printing with advertisement. It is a necessary condition.
[0031]
Next, in order to confirm the necessary condition, the controller 13 reads the standard page unit price (for example, the cost per sheet of 0.6 yen) of the toner container 11 from the non-contact type IC chip 11a (page unit price). Data request, page unit price data answer, step S2, step S3).
[0032]
Subsequently, the controller 13 checks the inventory of the advertisement with the advertisement server 30 (advertisement data request, step S4). As shown in FIG. 4, the address on the Internet of the advertisement server 30 can be set by the printer driver. The set address is transmitted from the host machine 70 to the controller 13 at the same time as the advertisement request in step S1. It has been.
[0033]
The content requested from the advertisement server 30 is the number of necessary pages in order from the highest advertisement unit price (the number of pages to be printed with advertisement), and the standard page unit price of the toner container 11 or more (0.6 yen or more). The advertisement data is acquired under the condition that
[0034]
If there is an advertisement that satisfies the conditions such as the required number of pages, the advertisement server 30 sends the advertisement data to the controller 13 (step S5).
The controller 13 returns a response to the effect that printing with advertisement is possible to the host machine 70 (advertise printing availability answer, step S6).
[0035]
Then, the host machine 70 sends a print command and print data to the controller 13 (print command, step S7). Based on the reception of the print command, the controller 13 reduces the print data to about 95% around the origin О of the effective print area B of the paper A as shown in FIG. The advertisement is overlap-printed on the second margin D.
[0036]
For example, in a portrait portrait, advertisement printing is performed in the area of the first margin C as shown in FIG. 6A, and in a landscape landscape (landscape), as shown in FIG. The advertisement is printed in the area of the margin D of 2. Note that the position of the origin and the reduction rate are examples.
[0037]
In this way, the user is satisfied because the printed manuscript and the advertisement do not overlap, and the advertiser is satisfied with the orientation of the advertisement when the user views the image. , I can be satisfied because the advertisements look uncomfortable at the same time.
[0038]
For example, if the size of the first margin C of A4 paper is 5 mm on the A4 paper and the effective printing area B is taken, the size of the effective printing area B is 200 × 287 (mm). If reduction of 95% is applied, the first margin C can secure an area of 200 × 14.35 (mm). In this case, since the printing data is only 5% smaller, there is no practical problem with a normal document.
[0039]
When printing is completed, the controller 13 sends the point ID (user-specific ID for point addition) transmitted from the host machine 70 to the advertisement server 30 (print completion notification, step S8). The advertisement server 30 adds the product sum of the unit price and the number of pages of the advertisement data transmitted in step S5 as a point of ID unique to the user.
[0040]
If the user can exchange the consumables such as toner according to the number of points when the points are accumulated, the cost of the consumables can be reduced or reduced by the advertisement printing.
[0041]
Next, the “method for placing an advertisement” by the advertiser will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is an advertiser application screen.
The advertiser connects the terminal 40 to the advertisement server 30 and acquires the “advertisement application screen” shown in FIG. It is assumed that a predetermined contract has been completed in advance between the installer of the advertisement server 30 and the advertiser, and after the contract is completed, a client ID (advertiser ID) and a password are given from the installer to the advertiser. It is done. Then, the advertiser inputs the advertiser ID and password and acquires the “advertisement application screen”.
[0042]
FIG. 7 shows a case where a new monochrome advertisement is issued, and a list of applied advertisements is displayed for each price at the bottom of the screen. Since the minimum unit price is set at 1 yen, it can be seen that 100 advertisements for 1 yen are applied for a total of 1 million pages. However, it is a rule that the advertisements are printed in order from the one with the highest unit price, so if you want to advertise immediately, you can apply at a higher unit price.
[0043]
Specify the number of distributions (number of distributions) and the period as necessary, and register the advertisement as an image such as text or banner advertisement.
The advertising fee under this condition is displayed in the bottom row, and if you click the “Apply” button, registration is complete.
[0044]
This advertisement data is distributed from the advertisement server 30, but is sequentially distributed from the advertisement in the highest unit price range. Sequential means that, for example, if there are 50 advertisements in the highest unit price range, each of the 50 advertisements. Even if many of the same advertisements are continuously played, the effect will generally be insignificant, and it is not preferable that the advertisements are distributed unevenly only to specific users.
[0045]
Therefore, the data is shuffled and distributed. Here, shuffling refers to, for example, switching and distributing advertisement contents such as advertisement A in the first, advertisement B in the second, advertisement C in the third, and so on.
[0046]
Conversely, if you want to place the same advertisement continuously, you can place an advertisement exclusively by applying for an advertisement with the highest price.
Clients are charged for the number of distributions × advertisement unit price at the time when the number of distributions is completed, the period has passed, or the end of the month even during continuing.
[0047]
By the way, it is the number of distributions × advertisement unit price that is collected from the advertiser, but it is not necessary to give the user a point as the unit price.
For example, for a print with a standard page unit price of 0.6 yen, 50% of the difference from the advertisement unit price may be returned as a point.
In this case, the point when printing a 2-yen advertisement is
(2-0.6) /2+0.6=1.3
It becomes. The 1.3 points are added to the user, and 0.7 points can be spent on the operating resources of the advertisement server.
[0048]
In the present embodiment, the usage record of the copying machine or the like for each user is added. However, for example, it may be added for each department (one section, one department, etc.).
[0049]
In addition, by using point cards adopted by mass retailers of home appliances, etc., the results of individual users using copiers installed at convenience stores etc. are added, and if added to some extent, You may make it return to a user.
[0050]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, since the advertisement server adds and stores the usage record for each user who uses the printing means, the user can perform a single printing even if the unit price is low. By adding this low unit price, it becomes a considerable amount of money. At the stage when this amount is reached, for example, it can be used for consumables such as toner.
[0051]
In addition, if the advertiser wants to perform overlap printing immediately, it is possible to implement early overlap printing by setting a high advertising unit price, so that the same user does not receive the same advertisement continuously. , Can increase the effectiveness of advertising.
[0052]
Further, when the advertisement is overlap-printed, the color printing and the monochrome printing are distinguished from each other, so that the advertiser can perform the overlap printing according to his / her image.
[0053]
In addition, for example, the price of one toner unit is 12,000 yen, 20000 sheets for A4 standard printing, and if printing is possible, the unit price per sheet is 0.6 yen. Since the price higher than 0.6 yen (for example, 1 yen) is requested from the advertisement server, the printing means can obtain an amount higher than the actual price from the advertiser. Therefore, the consumables cost can be supplemented with the overlap printing advertising fee.
[0054]
In addition, when using printers, copiers, and multifunction peripherals (multifunction peripherals), the cost of consumables can be supplemented with the advertising fee for overlap printing.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a configuration of an advertisement printing system according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a copying machine or a printer.
FIG. 3 is an operation procedure diagram showing the operation of each component part in the advertisement printing system.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration example of a “print page with advertisement” of the printer driver.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a first margin and a second margin reduced around the origin of an effective print area of a sheet.
6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating the positional relationship between an original image and an advertisement image, where FIG. 6A is a diagram in the case of a portrait portrait, and FIG. 6B is a diagram in the case of a landscape landscape (landscape). .
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an “advertisement application screen” acquired by an advertiser.
[Explanation of symbols]
KP Advertising printing system A Paper B Effective printing area C First margin D Second margin O Origin 10 Copying machine or printer 11 Toner container 11a Non-contact IC chip 12 Reading unit 13 Controller 14 Interface 15 Print engine 20 Intranet 30 Advertisement Server 40 Advertiser terminal 50A, 50B Gateway 60 Internet 70 Host machine

Claims (5)

An advertisement printing system for overlapping printing of advertisements,
Printing means for performing the overlap printing;
Data for performing the overlap printing , which is connected to the printing unit via a network, is registered in advance as advertising data, and the advertising data is distributed to the printing unit that has requested transmission. to become and an ad server,
In the ad server, the unit price of the advertisement scheduled to be distributed, the number of scheduled distributions, and the total number of scheduled distributions for each unit price band of the advertisement are registered, and the total number of scheduled distributions of the ads in the same unit price range in order from the highest unit price range. An advertisement printing system characterized by the fact that it is delivered sequentially . The ad server, advertisement printing system of claim 1, wherein the register to distinguish ads for monochrome printing and color printing. The printing unit has a user identification code transmission function for transmitting a code for identifying a user who has performed the overlap printing using the printing unit, and downloads the advertisement data from the advertisement server. A numerical value based on the amount of printing that has been subjected to the overlap printing is transmitted to the advertisement server together with the user identification code,
The advertisement printing system according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the advertisement server adds and stores a numerical value based on the print amount for each user corresponding to the user identification code . The printing means includes a toner unit filled with toner,
The toner unit is provided with unit price information storage means for storing unit price information required for performing overlap printing of a single sheet, and requests an advertisement fee more than the unit price information from the advertisement server. The advertisement printing system according to any one of 1 to 3. The advertisement printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the printing unit is one or more of a printer, a copier, and a multifunction peripheral.

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