JPH10149388A - Commodity charging method and recording medium recording program used for the charging method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To decide the prices of selling commodities without troubling the commodity purchaser in particular by making the purchaser decide the prices of commodities to be purchased by him based on the result of comparison obtained between the information on the commodity purchaser acquired via a computer system and the information on the commodities which are previously selected based on the prescribed reference. SOLUTION: A commodity purchaser loads a CD-ROM 160 and takes the necessary procedure for purchasing the contents stored in the CD-ROM 160 via a purchaser terminal 300, i.e., a computer system of the purchaser. Thus, the information on the hardware and software constructing the terminal 300 of the purchaser are automatically supplied to a price operation terminal 120. Then the selling prices of the contents are decided based on the supplied information (user information) on the hardware and software. As a result, the selling commodity prices are decided based on the products (hardware and software) forming a computer system of a commodity purchaser and without troubling the purchaser in particular.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a product billing method for determining a price for a product when selling the product using a computer system such as online shopping or the like. The present invention relates to a merchandise billing method for determining the price of a merchandise sold by a merchant's computer system according to how much the merchandise of the merchandise seller has been used. In addition, the present invention relates to a recording medium recording a program to be executed by a computer system of a product purchaser in such a product charging method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a product purchaser has a motivation to purchase a product from a company that sells the product at a lower price.
For this reason, sales companies that sell products related to computer systems (software, hardware, books, etc.) also need to make strategic sales decisions (prioritized sales of timely and expanded products, sorting out old model products) when selling their products. Etc.) The price of goods is discounted.

By the way, it is considered that the discount amount (rate) of the product price (actual sale price) is determined based on the amount (number, amount, etc.) of the company's products already purchased by the purchaser of the product. Can be In other words, a new product price discount (rate) for product buyers who have already purchased many of their products
And lower its actual selling price. With such a charging method, it is possible to improve the price service to the product purchaser and to promote the sales of the company's products.

[0004]

When the above-mentioned billing method is applied to a product related to a computer system, the sales company of the product needs to store its product (CPU, memory, disk unit, It is necessary to know exactly how much hardware such as a CRT and software such as an OS and applications are used. To get this information, you have to tell the buyers what products they have already purchased. However, asking the product buyer to report the list of purchased products without error in order to determine the price of the product each time the product is purchased can be a troublesome task for the product buyer. You have to force it.

[0005] Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to provide a sales product based on products (hardware and software) constituting a computer system of the product purchaser without trouble of the product purchaser. Is to provide a commodity charging method that can determine the price of a product. Further, a second object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium which records a program to be executed in a computer system of a product purchaser in such a product charging method.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a merchandise billing method according to the present invention, which comprises the steps of: A program that can be executed by the system and that collects information on at least one of hardware and software constituting the computer system of the product purchaser; The system receives information obtained as a result of executing the program through the communication means, compares the received information with information on a product selected in advance on a predetermined basis, and based on the comparison result, Buyers now decide the price of products they purchase.

[0007] In the above-described merchandise billing method, the merchandise purchaser simply installs a program to be provided in his / her own computer system, and the computer system according to the program transmits information on at least one of the constituent hardware and software. collect. Then, when the collected information is received from the computer system of the product purchaser via the communication means, the product purchaser is determined based on a comparison result between the information of the product previously selected based on a predetermined standard and the received information. The price of the product to be purchased is determined.

[0008] The criteria for selecting a preselected product to be compared with the received information can be arbitrarily determined according to a sales strategy or the like. In addition, the selected products can include products of cooperating companies. A comparison result obtained by comparing the reception information with information on a product selected in advance based on a predetermined criterion is based on the criterion included in a product (at least one of hardware and software) corresponding to the reception information. (Information indicating which of the selected commodities is included in the commodities corresponding to the received information, etc.). Further, the information obtained as a result of the comparison may be the amount (number, total price, ratio to other products, etc.) of the selected product included in the product corresponding to the received information.

[0009] In particular, when selling software such as applications, from the viewpoint that the above-mentioned program can be easily provided to the purchaser of the product along with the product (software), in the above-mentioned method, the above-mentioned program is used as the product It can be provided to the product purchaser on a recording medium recorded with the software. As the recording medium, for example, any of a CD-ROM, a floppy disk, a magneto-optical disk (MO), a mini disk (MD), and the like can be used.

[0010] Further, from the viewpoint that the program can be provided directly to the computer system of the product purchaser, in the above method, the program can be provided to the computer system of the product purchaser by the communication means. . The communication means may include a public line, the Internet, a local network, or the like.

In particular, when the software is a commercial product, in order to solve the second problem of the present invention, a recording medium according to the present invention is provided as a commercial product. , A second area in which the program is recorded, and a third area in which an installer for installing the product software and the program for collecting information in the computer system is recorded. And a region having

When such a recording medium is set in a computer system of a product purchaser, the computer system installs software to be a product and the program from the recording medium according to an installer.
Thereafter, the computer system collects information on at least one of the component hardware and software according to the program. The installed software (product) is used in the computer system.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium according to the present invention, wherein a program recorded on the recording medium is stored in the computer system. A first program code unit for acquiring hardware information managed by the first and a second program unit for storing the hardware information acquired by the first program code unit as a table in a storage device of the computer system. Program code means.

When such a recording medium is set in a computer system of a product purchaser, the computer system collects hardware information by the first program code means. Then, the computer system creates a table of the hardware information collected by the second program code means, and stores the table in the storage device.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned second problem of the present invention, a recording medium according to the present invention has a program recorded on the recording medium in the computer system. A first program code unit for acquiring software information managed by the first and a second program code for storing the software information acquired by the first program code unit as a table in a storage device of the computer system. Program code means.

When such a recording medium is set in a computer system of a product purchaser, the computer system collects software information by the first program code means. Then, the computer system creates a table of the software information collected by the second program code means, and stores the table in the storage device.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a product sales system in which the price of a product is determined according to the product charging method according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a database server 100, a price operation terminal 120, and a sales terminal 140 are connected via a LAN 150. The database server 100 has a product master that stores information on its products. This product master is updated in real time when a new product is released or when the release of a product is stopped.

The price operation terminal 120 performs a process for determining the price of a sold product. Sales terminal 140
Performs a sales management process of a product and a charging process for a product purchaser who has purchased the product. Each product purchaser uses a terminal device (computer system) (hereinafter, referred to as a purchaser terminal) 300 to acquire product information (catalog information and the like) and perform a process related to product purchase such as product ordering. Each purchaser terminal 300 is connected to the price operation terminal 120 and the sales terminal 140 via a network 200 such as a public line and the Internet.

Here, the purchaser of the product purchases a recording medium on which the software is recorded, for example, the CD-ROM 160. It should be noted that the price of the CD-ROM 160 does not basically include the price of the content serving as the product itself. As shown in FIG. 2, the software stored in the CD-ROM 160 includes content (area A) as a product.
(1)) List maker software (area A) which is a program for performing processing for collecting information on hardware and software constituting the purchaser terminal 300
(2)) and an installer (area A (3)) for performing a process of installing these contents and the list maker on the purchaser terminal 300 are stored. In addition,
A part of the content as a product (content introduction, explanation of price, etc.) is in a state where it can be decrypted at each purchaser terminal 300, but its body is encrypted. Hereinafter, the decipherable portion of the content is referred to as a readable portion.

[0020] The purchaser who has purchased the CD-ROM 160 receives the CD-ROM of his / her own purchaser terminal 300 (computer system).
When the CD-ROM 160 is loaded into the ROM driver, the installer is automatically read. Then, the purchaser terminal 300 executes processing according to the installer, for example, according to the procedure shown in FIG.

That is, the software A stored in the CD-ROM 160 is separated and read into list maker software (PI) and contents (target software) (S1), and the read list maker software (PI) and contents are read out. It is stored in a predetermined area of a storage device such as a disk unit (S
2). Then, when the readable portion of the content (target software) is executed, preparation for starting the list maker software (PI) is made (S3). According to the content of the readable portion of the content to be executed, processing such as introduction of the content of the content main body and explanation of the price is performed at the purchaser terminal 300. Thereafter, the list maker software (PI) is activated in the purchaser terminal 300 (S4).

When the list maker software (PI) is activated, for example, processing is executed according to the procedure shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, a command for acquiring hardware information managed by the OS or device driver of the purchaser terminal 300 is issued (S11). In the purchaser terminal 300, as shown in FIG. 5, for example, information (item, model number, ID, serial number, etc.) regarding hardware used in the purchaser terminal 300 is managed by a device manager. The hardware information managed in this way is obtained, and the obtained hardware information is described in the management table.

Further, a command for acquiring information on software registered in the purchaser terminal 300 is issued. The program started by the instruction has a so-called file manager function, and according to the program, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, all the directory names in the disk unit, the names, sizes, dates, etc. of the contents are obtained. You. The obtained software information is described in a management table in the storage device.

As described above, the management table in which the hardware information and the software information are described is configured, for example, as shown in FIG. That is, the purchaser terminal 30
The hardware and software that make up "0", "item", "manufacturer", "model (content name)",
The management table is configured by “installation date”.

Returning to FIG. 4, when such a management table is created, information described in the management table is stored as user information in a predetermined area of a storage device such as a disk unit (S13). ). Next, as described above, the readable portion of the content is executed, and when the purchaser who has obtained the content introduction and price explanation of the content performs an operation for the purchase procedure of the content at the purchaser terminal 300, the purchaser terminal 300 , A content purchase procedure process (including a communication process with the price operation terminal 120) is performed according to the procedure shown in FIG.

In FIG. 8, in the purchaser terminal 300, a program (purchase software) of a content purchase procedure processing is activated based on the operation of the purchaser. Then, the user information (see FIG. 7) created according to the list maker software (PI) as described above is read from the storage device (S21). Thereafter, the purchaser terminal 300 prepares for communication processing with the price operation terminal 120 (S2).
2).

When the preparation is completed, the buyer terminal 300
The information (ID or the like) of the content (target software) obtained from the readable portion of the content to be purchased and the user information read from the storage device are transmitted to the price operation terminal 120 via the network 200 (S23). Further, the purchaser terminal 300 confirms that the transmitted content information and user information have been correctly received by the price operation terminal 120 (S24), and then, if necessary, creates the user information created as described above (see FIG. 7). Is deleted from the storage device (S25).

As described above, the price operation terminal 120 that has received the content information and the user information from the purchaser terminal 300 via the network 200 is, for example, as shown in FIG.
The processing is executed according to the procedure shown in FIG. In FIG. 9, information of content (target software) and user information provided from the purchaser terminal 300 are read (S31).
The price operation terminal 120 further includes the database server 10
0, and fetches the product master stored in the database server 100. Then, the sales price (regular price, standard price) information of the content is searched from the product master (S32).

The price operation terminal 120 is, for example, shown in FIG.
A commodity price discount list as shown in FIG. This commodity price discount list includes each commodity a, b,. . . (Selected products)
Each product (software A,
Software B, device A, etc.). For example, the price discount rate of the software A is selected products a, b,. . .
Is set to 3%, if only the selected product a is already purchased, 10%, and if the selected products a and b are already purchased, 20%.

In the above example, software A and software B
Indicates that the discount rate is set to 3% even if the selected product has not been purchased yet. However, if the selected product has not been purchased yet, the device A sets the discount rate to 0%.
(List price, standard price). Price operation terminal 1
Reference numeral 20 denotes a selected product a, among products specified by user information (see FIG. 7) provided from the purchaser terminal 300.
b,. . . Is determined, and a discount rate corresponding to the determination result is determined with reference to the commodity price list.
Then, the actual selling price (actual selling price) is determined based on the selling price and the discount rate of the content obtained from the product master as described above (S33). Then, the determined selling price (actual selling price) of the content is transmitted from the price operation terminal 120 to the selling terminal 140 (S3).
4).

When the sales terminal 140 receives the sales price information of the content from the price operation terminal 120, the sales terminal 140 sends a key for combining the main part of the content with the sales price information via the network 200. Is transmitted to the purchaser terminal 300 where the purchase procedure has been performed.
Thereafter, the sales terminal 140 performs a charging process for the purchaser of the content. In this billing process, for example,
Processing for withdrawing the determined selling price of the content from the bank account of the purchaser, processing for issuing a bill, and the like are performed.

As described above, in the purchaser terminal 300 that has received the key and the sale price information from the sale terminal 140, the purchaser of the content knows the sale price, and
Using the received key, the user performs an operation relating to a process for combining the installed main part of the content. As a result, the purchase terminal 300 enters a state in which the content can be used.

According to the merchandise sales system described above, the purchaser of the merchandise (software) can use the CD-R in his / her computer system (purchaser terminal 300).
By simply performing an operation of loading the OM 160 and an operation of purchasing a content stored in the CD-ROM 160, information on hardware and software constituting the purchaser terminal 300 used by the purchaser is automatically converted to a price operation terminal. 12
0 is provided. Then, the selling price of the content is determined based on the provided hardware and software information (user information). Therefore, the price of the product for sale can be determined based on the products (hardware and software) constituting the computer system of the product purchaser without particularly troublesome the product purchaser.

In the above example, what kind of selected products a, b,. . . Although the selling price of the content to be sold is determined depending on whether or not is used, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the selected products a, b,. . . The selling price of the content to be sold may be determined based on the number, price, etc. of the content. In this case, all the products of the sales company may be selected products.

Further, the price operation terminal 120 has, for example, a commodity price discount list as shown in FIG. 11 and FIG.
The price discount rate determined as described above (see FIG. 10) can be further modified with reference to these commodity discount lists. The list shown in FIG. 11 defines the discount price (rate) of each product according to the sales district. In particular, when there is an important sales area for a certain product, the sales price is determined using such a list. Further, the list shown in FIG. 12 defines the discount price (rate) of each product according to the purchaser who becomes a member. When the selling price is determined based on such a list, for example, the discount price (rate) assigned to each member is updated according to the number of uses of the selling company.

In the above example, software (content) is described as a product to be sold.
The sales target is hardware such as disk devices, or
The product billing method according to the present invention can be applied to the sale of other products. In the above example, step S shown in FIG.
11 corresponds to the first program code means of the present invention, and the processing of S12 shown in FIG. 4 corresponds to the first program code means of the present invention. Step S13 shown in FIG. 4 corresponds to the second program code means according to claims 5 and 6.

[0037]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the hardware and software constituting the computer system of the product purchaser obtained according to the program provided to the product purchaser are obtained. Since information on at least one of the items is provided, the price of the product for sale is determined based on the products (hardware and software) constituting the computer system of the product purchaser without any trouble of the product purchaser. can do.

Further, according to the present invention as set forth in claims 2 to 4, it is possible to provide a recording medium in which a program to be executed by a computer system of a commodity purchaser in the commodity charging system is recorded.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a product sales system to which a product charging method according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of recorded contents of a CD-ROM provided to a purchaser terminal in the sales system shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of an installer stored in a CD-ROM.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of list maker software stored on a CD-ROM.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing hardware information managed by each purchaser terminal.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing software information managed by each purchaser terminal.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a list of hardware and software information collected at a purchaser terminal according to list maker software.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of processing executed when a purchase procedure is performed in a purchaser terminal;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a selling price determination process executed in the price operation terminal.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a commodity price discount list (part 1) referred to in the price operation terminal.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a commodity price discount list (part 2) referred to in the price operation terminal.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a commodity price discount list (3) referred to in the price operation terminal.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 100 database server 120 price operation terminal 140 sales terminal 150 LAN 160 CD-ROM 200 network 300 buyer terminal

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A program which can be executed by a computer system of a product purchaser who purchases a product and collects information on at least one of hardware and software constituting the computer system of the product purchaser. Is provided to the product purchaser, and information obtained as a result of executing the above program in the computer system of the product purchaser is received via communication means, and the received information and a product selected in advance based on a predetermined standard are received. A product billing method that compares information with information and determines the price of a product purchased by the product purchaser based on the comparison result. 2. A recording medium in which a program used in the method for billing goods according to claim 1 is recorded, wherein a first area in which software as a commodity is recorded, a second area in which the program is recorded, A recording medium having a third area in which an installer for installing software as a product and the program for collecting information in the computer system is recorded. 3. A recording medium storing a program used in the method for billing for goods according to claim 1, wherein said program is a first program code means for acquiring hardware information managed in said computer system. And a second program code means for storing the hardware information obtained by the first program code means as a table in a storage device of the computer system. 4. A recording medium storing a program used in the commodity charging method according to claim 1, wherein the program is a first program code means for acquiring software information managed in the computer system. And a second program code means for storing the software information obtained by the first program code means as a table in a storage device of the computer system.