JPH10293688A - Charging method and charging system of software - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely collect charge in accordance with the use of software by subtracting charging points that are recorded on a recording means on condition that a use executes the software and outputs the execution result. SOLUTION: Charging point controlling software compares in size an output point which is defined to an outputting form with a charging point P which is registered in a charging point recording part 6C of an information recording device 6 of a user's side terminal. In such cases, when the point P is more than the charging point, the software carries out an output. On the other hand, the point P is smaller than the output point, it returns to application software without allowing an output. Then, it confirms whether the output is effectively executed, and when it confirms that the output is effective, it records what subtracts an output point from the point P as a new charging point P on the device 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a software billing method and a billing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, generally, a method of charging software for the transfer of the right to use the software is generally used. There is also a method of charging according to the use of software. However, most of the methods are based on a post-pay method in which the time of use is recorded and charging is performed thereafter. By the way, for example, when performing the slip processing work, the calculation work inside the computer is performed free of charge, and when the calculation result is output to the outside for transmission to others, paying attention to the information transmission function of itself There is an idea of trying to charge.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned method of paying for software in a post-pay manner, there are many cases where the method and timing of collecting the usage fee are unknown. Also, if the billing amount is small, collecting the fee by hand may be rather time-consuming. Also,
Regarding the usage form of software, there has been no form in which charging is performed by focusing only on the output of the final result. Therefore, there has been a demand for a method and system for reliably collecting software bills while paying attention to the usage form of the software. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method and a system for reliably collecting a charge according to use of software.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a software billing method for collecting a usage fee from a software user as the software is executed. The number of charging points previously purchased by the software user from the software provider is recorded in a recording means provided on the computer of the user, and the user executes the software to execute the software. When the number of charging points recorded in the recording unit is subtracted on condition that the execution result is output, and the number of charging points recorded in the recording unit is less than the number of points required for outputting the execution result. In this case, the output is disabled, and the software user records on the recording means on condition that a new charging point is purchased from the software provider side. Only charge point worth of purchase a number of charged point, characterized in that it adds.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a software billing system for collecting a usage fee from a software user when the software is executed. Charging point recording means for recording the number of charging points purchased from the software provider; and storing the number of charging points corresponding to the output when the user executes the software and outputs the execution result. The charging point calculation means to be calculated, and the charging points calculated by the charging point calculation means are compared with the remaining number of charging points recorded in the recording means, and the calculated charging points are not less than the remaining number. Output operation control means for permitting the output by the software if Subtracting means for subtracting the number of billing points recorded in the billing point recording means on condition that the output by the software has been executed normally, and the software user newly adds a billing point from the software provider side. And an adding means for adding the number of charging points recorded in the recording means to the number of purchased charging points on condition that the purchase has been made.

[0006]

According to the present invention, the software user purchases the number of charging points from the software provider in advance and outputs it to the computer of the user for outputting the software. Keep it. Then, when the software on the software user side is executed and the execution result is output, the number of points required for output is subtracted from the number of billing points. Thus, in order to output the execution result of the software, the number of charging points must be purchased in advance, so that the software provider can smoothly collect the software charging.

[0007] In addition, since the software user is not charged only by executing the software, it is sufficient to purchase a charging point after confirming the operability of the software. In this way, it can be used to some extent for testing,
The software user can also select and use only software having a high use value.

[0008]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a system for implementing a software billing method according to the present embodiment. The software user is provided with a user terminal 3 and communicates with the point purchase and settlement center 1 via a network 2 using a public telephone line which is an electronic communication means capable of transmitting information between computers. Can be transmitted. In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which a computer is connected to the network 2 to purchase a charging point P. However, the charging point P can of course be purchased by other information transmission means, such as facsimile or mail. is there.

As shown in FIG. 2, the user terminal 3 has:
A control unit 5 for controlling terminals, a communication line connection device 4 (for example, a modem) for connecting to the network 2 via an I / O interface, and a display (CRT) for displaying information 8, an information output device 7, and an information recording device 6 are connected. The control unit 5 includes a software running control unit 5A for controlling running of the software.
It controls application software (for example, for performing classification and calculation relating to data on accounts receivable) and operations associated with entry and exit of the charging points P.

The information output device 7 performs a final output associated with the execution of the application software. For example, the information output device 7 prints on a paper medium by a printer, or prints on an easily movable recording medium such as a flexible disk. Actions such as outputting a file and transmitting a file to a third party via a communication line are performed. The information recording device 6 uses, for example, a hard disk of the user terminal 3, and in its storage area, an application recording unit 6A for recording application software and charging point control software are recorded. A charging point software recording unit 6B is provided. In a part of the billing point software recording unit 6B, information on an output point A necessary for output of the application software is recorded. The information recording device 6 has a charging point recording unit 6C for recording the charging points P currently owned by the user. The charging point P information recorded in the charging point recording unit 6C is encrypted and protected so that the information is not arbitrarily changed by the user. In the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the application software and the charging point control software are separated from each other. Is also good. It is also possible to combine and record the charging point control software and the charging point P information. In this case, since the charging point control software and the charging point P information are recorded in a mixed manner, even if the user attempts to change the charging point P, processing such as encryption can be performed more effectively. To protect this.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure for executing the application software and outputting the final result. The user terminal 3 executes the application software (S11) and attempts to output the final result (S12). Then, the charging point control software determines the size of the output point A determined for the output mode and the charging point P recorded in the charging point recording unit 6C of the information recording device 6 of the user terminal 3. A comparison is made (S13). At this time, if the charging point P is equal to or more than the output point A, the output is executed (S14). On the other hand, when the charging point P is smaller than the output point A, the process returns to the application software without permitting the output (S15).

Subsequently, it is confirmed whether or not the output is executed effectively (S16). If it is judged that the output is effective, the output point A is subtracted from the charging point P to obtain a new charging. A point P is recorded on the recording device (S17). If the output has not been validated, the process returns to the application software without performing the process of subtracting the charging point P (S16). FIGS. 3 and 4 show the flow of the procedure for newly purchasing the charging point P from the user side and the provider side of the software.

First, a procedure when the software user purchases the charging point P will be described with reference to FIG. If the user wants to purchase the charging point P, the user needs to fill in the items necessary for the predetermined application (for example, data for clarifying the user's identity such as address, name, age, etc .; The payment method at the time, the ID number of the bank / credit, etc., and the data such as the number of charging points P desired to be purchased are described (S21). Of these data, if the data for identifying the user side is described at the time of the first application, then only the name or the ID number issued by the software provider will be used instead. Can be.

Next, the application form is transmitted to the software provider (S22). In this embodiment, an electronic communication means via the network 2 is shown as such a transmission method. In addition, the transmission method can be performed by facsimile, mail, or the like. After this transmission, if the provider approves the issuance of the charging point P, the charging point P is sent to the user side. When the user is connected to the provider via the network 2, the charging point P is transmitted to the user terminal 3 as an electronic file. In other cases, the file is recorded as an electronic file on an easily movable recording medium such as an FD. Then, the charging point recording unit 6 in which the charging point P of the user terminal 3 is recorded.
The newly issued charging point P is added to C and recorded (S24). At this time, the newly issued charging point P is subjected to an encryption operation, a file erasure operation, or the like that makes the second use impossible if the addition operation is performed effectively.

Next, the flow of the procedure on the provider side when purchasing the charging points P will be described with reference to FIG. First, the provider receives the application form created by the user (S31). Next, it is determined whether or not credit settlement is possible based on the data specifying the user (S32). In this embodiment, the payment for the charging point P is performed by credit, but it is of course possible to use a payment method such as cash transfer. If it is determined that the credit settlement is possible, a billing point P is issued and transmitted to the user (S33). On the other hand, if it is determined that settlement is not possible, the user is notified that the application form has not been accepted (S34). At this time, no charging point P is issued.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in order to output the application software, the software user purchases the charging point P from the software provider in advance, and To record. Then, when the user executes the application software and outputs the execution result, the number of points required for output is subtracted from the charging point P. That is, in order to output the execution result of the application software, the charging point P must be purchased in advance, so that the application software provider can smoothly collect the software charging.

Further, since the user is not charged only by executing the application software, the user may purchase the charging point after confirming the operability of the software. As described above, since the test can be used to a certain extent, the user can select and use only software having high utility value. Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and for example, those described below are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

Regarding the number of billing points, an appropriate number of billing points may be provided in advance to the software user for test use free of charge. With this configuration, the user can output the execution result and confirm the user's feeling of use, and can use only highly usable software. For this reason, the software billing method is highly useful on the user side. Regarding the billing system, besides purchasing the billing points each time it is used as described above, if you pay a predetermined fee as a fixed monthly method, you can use the billing points so that you can use the fixed output format without restriction. Can be adjusted. Also, when receiving the output information without subtracting the output points at the time of output, the receiver can also charge by subtracting the output points from the charging points.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a system for implementing a software billing method;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of a user terminal.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a software billing method.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure on the user side when purchasing points.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure on the provider side when purchasing points.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 ... User side terminal (user's computer) 5 ... Control unit (output operation control unit) 6C ... Charge point recording unit (charging point recording unit) 10 ... Calculation unit (subtraction unit, addition unit, charging point calculation unit)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method for collecting a usage fee from a software user with the execution of software, the method comprising: determining the number of charging points previously purchased from a software provider by the software user; It is recorded in recording means provided in the user's computer, and on the condition that the user executes the software and outputs the execution result, subtracts the number of charging points recorded in the recording means. If the number of billing points recorded in the recording means is less than the number of points required for output of the execution result, the output is disabled, and the software user receives a request from the software provider side. Software for adding the number of charging points recorded in the recording means for the purchased charging points on condition that a new charging point is purchased. The method of charging air. 2. A system for collecting a usage fee from a software user in accordance with execution of the software, the system being provided on a computer of the software user and having a charge previously purchased from a software provider. Charging point recording means for storing the number of points; charging point calculating means for calculating the number of charging points according to the output when the user executes the software and outputs the execution result; Comparing the charging points calculated by the charging point calculation means with the remaining number of charging points recorded in the recording means, and when the calculated charging points are equal to or more than the remaining number, outputting the software. Allow,
Output operation control means for prohibiting the output when the number is less than the predetermined value, and subtraction means for subtracting the number of charging points recorded in the charging point recording means on condition that the output by the software is executed normally. Adding means for adding the number of charging points recorded in the recording means by the purchased charging points on condition that the software user has newly purchased charging points from the software provider side. Characterized software billing system.