JPH0296270A - Electronic publication issuing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To omit the distribution channels for the electronic publications between the publishing companies and the book stores and to reduce the cost of transport of the publications by using a receiving means, a write command means, and a writing means for publishing information. CONSTITUTION:The publishing information signals are received via a transmission mechanism 21 serving as a receiving means and stored in an optical disk memory 17a serving as a memory means. A CPU15 serving as a write command means gives a command to a writing mechanism 8 serving as a writing means to write the corresponding publishing information stored in the memory 17a in response to the instruction of a production command means. Thus the mechanism 8 writes the corresponding publishing information into a compact disk CD via a CD handling mechanism 19 in response to the write command signal received from the CPU 15. Thus the publishing information obtained by the publishing information signal is written into the CD for production of the electronic publications. As a result, the distribution channels for the electronic publications can be omitted between the publishing companies and the book stores. Then the cost of transport of the publications can be reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of the Invention) The present invention relates to an electronic publication publishing machine in which publication information is written on a storage medium such as a CD (compact disc).

(Prior Art and its Problems) Recently, as the shift to pageless technology has progressed, electronic publications such as those described above have appeared in place of printed publications. These electronic publications are sold in the form of CDs at bookstores, etc. In the past, people used to purchase them using a CD player to view the publication information stored on the CD on a display such as a television. be.

Therefore, this electronic publication has a great advantage in that it eliminates the need for bulky printed publications;
In terms of distribution, although the format is smaller, printed publications are delivered from publishing companies to retailers via various routes, and if there are unsold items, they are returned from retailers to publishing companies. This is the same as when dealing with , and there is a problem in that it takes time and expense for transportation.

(Purpose of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to omit the distribution route between a publishing company and a sales store by transporting electronic publications. shall be.

(Structure and Effects of the Invention) In order to achieve such an object, the present invention includes an electronic publication issuing machine including a receiving means for receiving a publication information signal and a plurality of pieces of publication information stored in the publication information signal. a publication information storage means; a write command means for instructing writing of publication information corresponding to the publication command signal from among the publication information stored in the storage means in response to a publication command signal; and writing means for writing the publication information onto the storage medium in response to a write command signal.

According to this configuration, when the receiving means receives the publication information signal, the publication information is stored in the storage means, and when there is a publication command signal, the write command means is stored in the storage means in response to the publication command signal. The writing means is commanded to write publication information corresponding to the publication command signal from among the publication information, and the writing means writes the publication information on the storage medium.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the publication information obtained by the publication information signal is written in the storage medium in the electronic publication issuing machine itself to form the electronic publication, so that the electronic publication can be easily distributed from the publishing company. The hassle of transporting the product to the retailer and from the retailer to the publishing company can be omitted, making it possible to significantly reduce transportation costs and the like.

(Description of Embodiments) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an electronic publication issuing machine according to this embodiment.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an electronic publication publishing machine, which has a box shape as a whole, and is provided with an operating section 4 on the upper front surface thereof, which is composed of a horizontal surface section 2 and a rising surface section 3 rising from the rear thereof. On one side of the horizontal surface section 2 of the operation section 4, there are a plurality of operation keys 5 from which issuing command signals are output based on the input thereof, and on the front side of the other side there is a CRT 6 for displaying operation guidance items, etc., and on the rear side. is provided with a banknote inlet/outlet lower which serves as a slot for inserting banknotes representing the purchase price of electronic publications, and also serves as a slot for refunding banknotes when the purchase price is insufficient.

A CD slot 9 is provided in the center of the rising surface 3 for loading and unloading a CD (compact disc), which is an electronic publication, and on the blade side thereof, whether or not the device is in operation is displayed from the top. A handling display 1O, a coin insertion hole 11 for inserting coins as the purchase price of an electronic publication, and a change ejection port 12 for ejecting change are provided.

Next, the internal structure of the electronic publication publishing machine will be explained based on the simplified block diagram of FIG. 2.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a control unit, which includes a CPU 15 as a writing instruction means constituted by a microcomputer, a ROM 113 for storing a predetermined operation program of the device, a RAM 17 for storing various input data, and a storage means for publishing information, etc. and an optical disk memory 17a.

In addition to the above-described operation keys 5 and CRT 6, the control unit 14 configured in this manner includes a publication content writing mechanism as a writing means! 8, a CD handling mechanism 19, a money handling mechanism 20, and a data transmission mechanism 21 as means for receiving publication information signals are connected to each other.

The publication content writing mechanism 18 is comprised of electrical contacts for writing onto a CD.

The CD handling mechanism 19 is provided between the above-mentioned entrance/exit 9 and a part where writing is performed on a CD, and between a part where a new CD is stored and a part where writing is performed, and is provided with a drive motor and its It is composed of rollers for transporting CDs, etc., which are rotated by a drive motor.

The money handling mechanism 20 consists of a money conveyance mechanism provided between each of the banknote insertion/removal lower, the coin insertion slot 11, the change output opening 12, and the money storage section, and a money counting device. consists of a drive motor and a belt operated by the drive motor.

The transmission mechanism 21 is connected to a publication information provider 23 of an electronic publisher via a transmission line 22, receives publication information sent from the publication information provider 23 as appropriate, and transmits the received information to the control unit. The data is transmitted to the 14 side.

Next, the electronic publication publishing operation will be explained based on the flowchart of FIG.

When the customer issues a purchase command using the operation key 5 (step S1), a transaction selection display indicating whether or not it is a new issue is displayed on the CRT 6 (step S2). CDs include non-volatile RAM whose memory contents are not erased even when the power is turned on at 022, and EPRO whose memory contents can be erased and written.
M is used, and if the customer does not bring a CD, a new CD will be issued.

When the customer issues a new issue command using the operation key 5 (step 53) (step S4), the new CD is transported from the storage position to the writing position (step S5), CRT 6
The books are selected and displayed (step S6). In step S4, if a new issue command is not issued, that is, if the customer has brought a CD, a CD insertion display is performed in C, RT6 (step S7), and when the CD is inserted into the slot 9, The CD is transported to the writing position (step S8), and the process moves to step S6.

When a purchased book is specified using the operation key 5 in response to the selection display in step 6 (step S9), publication information regarding the book is searched in the optical disk memory 17a to find corresponding publication information (step 5I).
O), display the sales amount on the CRT 6 (step 5)
11). In the optical disk memory 17a, publication information corresponding to a large number of books is stored in advance based on publication information input from the publication information providing machine 23 of an electronic publisher.

The amount displayed in step 11 differs depending on whether the issue is new or not.

Then, when the money is inputted from the bill slot lower and the coin slot 11 (step S12), the amount is counted (step S13), and if the amount is more than the specified amount (step 514), the CD (step S15), and if the amount is less than the specified amount in step S14, the paid amount is returned to the banknote insertion/removal lower,
After discharging change from the change outlet 12 (step 516) and displaying a message indicating that the amount is insufficient (step 517), the process returns to step 11.

When the writing in step 15 is completed, the CD is ejected from the slot 9 (step Sl 8).
, if it is determined that there is change (step 519), the change is discharged from the change outlet 12 (step 520).
, a purchase thank you message is displayed (step 521), and the operation ends.

In the above embodiment, an automatic vending type electronic publication publishing machine is shown in which the purchaser can purchase electronic publications by paying the price and directly operating it, but the machine is configured so that no payment handling operation is performed. In that case,
A clerk at a book store or the like performs the issuing operation according to the purchaser's wishes, and the clerk collects the payment from the purchaser.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 3 relate to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing its external appearance, FIG. 2 is a simplified block configuration diagram showing its internal configuration, and FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation. be. 1...Electronic publication publishing machine, 15...CPU (writing command means), +7a...
Optical disk memory (storage means), 18... writing mechanism (writing means), 21... transmission mechanism (receiving means)
.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Receiving means for receiving a publication information signal, publication information storage means for storing a plurality of pieces of publication information in the publication information signal, and publication information stored in the storage means in response to a publication command signal. An electronic publication comprising: write command means for instructing writing of publication information corresponding to the publication command signal from the write command means; and write means for writing the publication information on a storage medium in response to the write command signal from the write command means. Product publishing machine.