KR20090041990A - System and method for digital contents management linked with storage service - Google Patents

Abstract

A contents management system and a method thereof connected with a storage service for performing the circulation of the contents or the payment and administration with a storage service are provided to use the contents by connecting the storage service with the circulation/administration of the contents. A storage service unit(21) stores contents after allocating a storage space by accessing the storage space. A contents filter unit(22) filters the contents of the allocated storage space and confirms whether the contents are related to a contents provider. A breakdown manager(23) manages contents provider contents in the storage space of each user. A settlement unit(24) produces the earnings distributed to each contents provider.

Description

Content management system and method in connection with storage service {System and Method for Digital Contents Management Linked with Storage Service}

The present invention relates to a content management system and a method associated with a storage service, and in particular, by linking the storage service that allows users to freely use the storage space through a communication network with the distribution / management of content supplied by the content providers. This makes it easier and more convenient for users to use content, and allows content providers to manage content more easily and economically.

Due to the development of communication and computer related technologies such as the Internet, the type and range of online services are rapidly expanding. In addition, a wide variety of digital contents such as movies, cartoons, music, animations, videos, and games are being produced. Content can be produced in various forms according to the creator's creativity, and the market size for the content is expected to expand rapidly.

It takes a lot of money to produce the contents. Unlike the tangible products, the contents can be easily copied or illegally distributed, which lowers the creative motivation. In order to solve this problem, various attempts have been made, such as preventing unauthorized duplication by processing contents using a technique such as watermarking.

On the other hand, in terms of the content market, many content providers (CPs) are struggling to find the right way to provide their content to consumers.

In general, content creators sell their content through Internet home pages, sell it on digital data storage media such as CD-ROMs, or enter into contracts with service providers (SPs). It can be sold using the service.

However, various problems arise in such a conventional content distribution structure. For example, due to lack of funds or uncertainty in demand forecasts, it may be difficult to invest a lot of money directly into content distribution, and even if you want to use a service provider's services, you must have a content supply agreement for each service provider This is inconvenient and costly. In other words, the process is inefficient because each content provider must contract with a plurality of service providers individually. In addition, content that is unlikely to be in high demand may be neglected by most major service providers.

In addition, from the point of view of content providers, building an Internet home page and distributing their contents directly can be a burden economically, and is also disadvantageous for public relations. In addition, since the content usage fee must be paid for each user individually, the cost of the payment itself is not small, and it is not easy to manage the distribution of the content by itself.

Content providers should focus on producing content for their users or securing quality content, and the distribution of content provided by content providers should be handled by a separate professional provider, but the structure of the current content market is not. It is true.

From the user's point of view, the procedure for using his or her desired content is often complicated and cumbersome. For example, even if users use the contents of each service provider, not only do they need to individually subscribe to each service provider having the content they want, but in order to use specific content, multiple operators (eg, mobile operators and content) are required. Membership for providers, etc.) must be completed and payment procedures may need to be performed separately.

Therefore, in view of the market related to the contents that will be expanded more rapidly in the future, it will be necessary to provide contents providers and users with convenient and stable contents.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, by allowing the distribution, payment, management, etc. of the content is made in connection with the storage service through the communication network, so that content producers can distribute the content more efficiently The purpose is to provide a content management system and method in connection with a storage service that allows users to use content more easily and conveniently.

In order to achieve the above object, the content management system associated with the storage service according to the present invention, after each user is allocated a storage space, access the storage space through a communication network to manage and use the content in the storage space Storage service means for enabling; A content filter unit for filtering content of the storage space allocated to each user to determine which content provider is related to the content; A history manager configured to manage content usage history information for each content provider made in each user's storage space by using the result confirmed by the content filter unit; And a settlement unit configured to calculate a profit to be distributed to each of the content providers according to the content usage history information for each of the content providers.

The content management system associated with the storage service may include at least one of content usage history information for each content provider managed by the history management unit and information on one or more of the revenue information for each content provider calculated by the settlement unit through the communication network. It may be configured to further include a content provider interface to inform each content provider.

In this case, the content provider interface unit may be configured to include an Internet homepage which processes and displays at least one of the content usage history information and the proceeds information of the content provider in a predetermined format to a content provider logged in using their authentication information. Can be.

The content filter unit compares the property information of the content file of each content provider with the property information of the file stored in the storage space of each user so that the content stored in the storage space of each user is different. It may be configured to confirm that it is related to the provider.

The storage service means may be configured to allocate the storage space to a user who has paid a storage service usage fee, and the settlement unit calculates a profit to be distributed to each content provider within a storage usage fee.

The content management system associated with the storage service may provide a list of contents available to the user through a communication network so that the user can select the contents and further include a content acquisition unit for storing the contents selected by the user in the storage space of the user. Can be configured.

On the other hand, the content management method associated with the storage service according to the present invention, to allocate a predetermined storage space to each user for a fee, each user to access the allocated storage space through the communication network to store and use a variety of content step; Identifying which content provider the content stored in each user's storage space is associated with and managing content usage history information for each content provider made in each user's storage space; And calculating a profit to be distributed to each content provider according to the content usage history information for each content provider.

The content may be configured such that each user can upload to the storage space using a local computer device.

The calculation of the profit to be distributed to each content provider may be configured to be performed according to content usage history information for each content provider within a usage fee range of the storage space.

The content usage history information may be configured to include one or more types of content, the number of times the content has been used by the user, a period in which the content has been recorded, and the size of the content.

The determining of which content provider is associated with the content stored in each user's storage space may include determining whether the property information of the content file of each content provider matches the property information of the file stored in each user's storage space. Can be configured to make a comparison.

According to the present invention, users can normally use the contents simply by storing the desired contents in the storage space allocated to them even without contracting or purchasing the contents with each content provider (CP) or service provider (SP). have. In particular, since the user does not need to pay a separate content fee when the storage service fee is paid, the fee payment procedure that has to be made for each different content is omitted, and thus the user can use the content more conveniently.

In addition, if the user implements the web storage service method that is currently used by a large number of users, the user can easily use the content without having to learn a different method of use, and the content stored in the storage space anytime and anywhere can be used. It is available.

For the content provider, the payment procedure for the individual user can be omitted, and the content usage fee is collectively settled with the storage service provider so that the profit can be easily obtained. In addition, a plurality of users using the storage service may set the direction of producing the content or determine the preferences of the consumers through various statistical information such as details of using the various contents.

In addition, an operator providing a storage service according to the present invention can secure a new revenue model due to the distribution and settlement of contents in connection with the storage service, and develop related additional service models such as advertisements according to the contents usage situation of users. It can also be.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, a content management system 20 (hereinafter, referred to as a content management system) associated with a storage service according to the present invention may include a storage service means 21, a content filter unit 22, a history management unit 23, and a settlement. The unit 24 may be included, and the like may be connected to the users 11 and the content providers 12 through the communication network 13 to provide a service.

The communication network 13 may be any communication network capable of connecting the user and the content management system 20 such as an internet network or a mobile communication network, and the user may use a schedule communication network such as a laptop computer or a mobile phone as well as a personal computer (PC). 13, a service provided by the content management system 20 may be used by using a computer device that may be connected to the content management system 20.

The service provided by the content management system 20 is basically based on a storage service, which has a large storage capacity for storing digital data, and allocates storage space to each user. If the communication network 13 is available anywhere, the storage space may be stored and managed by accessing the corresponding storage space.

As such a storage service, a service that can be used on the web through the Internet is commonly referred to as a web storage service or a web hard service.

The storage service means 21 performs a role of allowing a user to access and manage the contents of the storage space allocated to the user through the communication network 13 after the storage space is allocated.

Referring to FIG. 2, a specific embodiment of the storage service means 21 will be described.

Member registration unit 21-1, when a user connected through communication network 13 requests membership in order to use the storage service, information necessary for membership (for example, personal information such as name, nickname, address, contact information, Authentication information such as ID and password) is inputted and stored in the account database 21-6 as member information and managed to register as a member who can use the storage space.

A user who has registered as a member then attempts to log in using his / her authentication information (for example, an ID and password), and the authentication processor 21-2 searches the account database 21-6 and inputs the user who attempted to log in. It checks whether the authentication information belongs to a user who is registered as a member and decides whether to permit access.

The storage allocating unit 21-4 allocates a storage space of a predetermined size to a user registered as a member by default or according to a user's selection, and sets it as a digital data storage space available to the user.

The storage manager 21-5 allows a user who has successfully logged in to manage various files in the storage space allocated to the user. The user can perform various file management such as file storage or deletion in his storage space.

In particular, the storage manager 21-5 may perform various functions such as allowing a user to store and manage various files using his storage space or to download previously stored files to a user's local computer. The content stored in the storage space can be used according to its usage.

For example, in the case of multimedia content such as music, movies, and videos, the user can select and play the corresponding content, and in the case of the comic content, the comic viewer can be viewed by providing a comic viewer for viewing the comic. To make sure. In addition, if any pre-processing is required, such as the need for decryption to use the content, the approval of other content providers, or a special computer program, such pre-processing is performed.

Therefore, the user can freely use the contents without performing a separate contract or payment by simply storing the desired contents in the storage space allocated to the user.

The payment unit 21-3 performs a role of allowing a user to pay a storage service usage fee. The payment unit 21-3 allows the user to pay for storage service using a variety of payment methods that can be made online, such as credit card payment, prepaid card payment, cyber money payment, mobile phone payment, online deposit payment. Can be configured.

On the other hand, the storage usage fee should be understood to mean not only the fee for using the storage service, but also a fee for using the content (the part that should be provided to a content provider authorized to receive the content usage fee for the content used by the user). .

That is, in the following, since the present invention is based on the storage service, even though the fee paid by the user is referred to as a storage service use fee, a part of the fee paid by the user is eventually distributed to the content provider's profit related to the content used by the user. Therefore, the storage service usage fee includes not only a charge for the storage service but also a meaning as a price for using the content.

The content filter unit 22 determines the content related to the content provider by filtering the content of the storage space allocated to the user. That is, when a user stores content in a storage space allocated to the user, the user determines which content creator the content is related to.

One embodiment of filtering in the content filter unit 22 is to compare whether the characteristic information of the content file of each content provider and the characteristic information of the file stored in the storage space of each user match with each other. When the comparison results, the files existing in the storage space of the user may be determined as contents related to the corresponding content provider.

The content is in the form of a file. The file contains various characteristics that uniquely identify the file, such as file name, extension, file size, contents and form of the data in the file, and creation date. It can be determined whether they match each other. In order to perform the filtering in this manner, the content filter unit 22 must maintain the content file of each content provider or the characteristic information of each content file.

The content filter unit 22 may be driven at various times as needed. For example, when a user stores a file in the storage space, or a certain period set for the history manager 23 to keep the content use history information for each content provider up to date.

In addition, filtering may be performed on all or part of files stored in each user's storage space.

An example in which the content filter unit 22 filters any one file (content A) stored in the user's storage space will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

When the filtering is started, first, the first content file of any one content provider is compared with the characteristic information of the content A to check whether they are the same (S31-1, S31-2, and S32). I and j are variables for identifying the content provider and the content, respectively. In the illustrated example, the content providers # 1 and the contents # 1 are sequentially compared.

If both of the check results in step S32 are the same (S33), the content A determines that it is related to the content provider #i and ends the filtering procedure (S36).

However, if the result of the check in step S32 is not the same, if further investigation remains among the content files of the content provider #i (S34), j is increased by 1 and the process proceeds to step S32 again, where the content provider #i The characteristic information on the content #j is compared (S34-1).

If all the content files of the content provider #i are examined and there is nothing left to be investigated (S34), if there are more content providers to be investigated, increase the variable i by 1 and proceed to step S31-2 to proceed to the next content provider. In step S35-1, if there is no more content provider to be investigated, the process proceeds to step S37 (S35).

Step S37 treats content A stored in the user's storage space as unconfirmed content when comparing the content A with all the content files of all the content providers and not finding the same. It doesn't work. Here, the unconfirmed content means that the content is not the content of the content provider currently maintained by the content filter unit 22.

The history manager 23 manages content usage history information for each content provider made in each storage space by using the result confirmed by the content filter 22. Here, the content usage history information is information representing how the user used the content in each storage space, which can be variously configured as necessary, and is collected and managed for each content provider.

Examples of content usage history information by content provider include information about users who have stored the content in the storage space, the number of users who have stored the content in the storage space, and how long the content has been stored in the storage space and deleted from the storage space. Time, the size of the content, the type of the content, and the number of times the content has been used by the user.

The content usage history information for each content provider managed by the history management unit 23 may be used to calculate various useful information such as user's preference, frequency of use, usage status by age / sex group, and total amount of usage for each content. In particular, as described below, the settlement unit 24 may be used to calculate the proceeds to be distributed to each content provider.

The settlement unit 24 calculates a profit to be distributed to each content provider according to the content usage history information for each content provider managed by the history management unit 23. In this case, the method of calculating the profit to be distributed to each content provider can be configured in various ways.

For example, the number of users who stored and used each content in the storage space by the history manager 23, the time each content was stored in the storage space and the time deleted from the storage space, the size of each content, the type of each content, and each content If the number of times used by the user to manage the content usage history information for each content provider, the settlement unit 24 can calculate the profit to be distributed to each content provider based on this information.

To help explain, a simple example can be configured to distribute more revenue to the content provider as the number of times the user has used the content, the larger the content, or the longer the content has been stored in the storage space. It is. In addition, the profit distribution ratio may vary according to the type of content (eg, image, game, movie, music, etc.), and a certain matter may be reflected according to a contract with the content producer.

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 4, the content management system 20 may further include a content acquirer 25 and a content provider interface 26 in addition to the components of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1.

The content provider interface unit 26 displays content usage history information for each content provider managed by the history management unit 23, and revenue information for each content provider calculated by the settlement unit 24, through the communication network 13. It may serve to inform the content provider. Through this, each content provider can check their content usage status or revenue information at any time.

One specific example of configuring the content provider interface unit 26 is in the form of an Internet home page, which provides each content provider with unique authentication information and logs in using his own authentication information. The content provider is configured to display content usage history information and revenue information related to the content provider in a predetermined format.

In addition, the content provider interface unit 26 provides a content provider such as content preference, frequency of use, age / gender usage status, total usage amount by period, and the like through the content usage history information for each content provider managed by the history management unit 23. Various information required may be calculated and provided.

The content acquisition unit 25 plays a role of allowing a user to store desired content in his or her own storage without uploading the content directly to his or her storage space.

For example, the content acquisition unit 25 provides a list of contents available to the user through the Internet home page so that the user can select the desired content, and the user selects the content to the storage space of the user. Can be configured to save. That is, the content acquisition unit 25 may be implemented in the form of an internet home page as a user shopping in an online shopping mall selling content. However, the user does not separately pay for the digital content selected by the user.

An embodiment of a content management method in connection with a storage service according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

First, a predetermined storage space is allocated to each user for a fee, and each user accesses the storage space allocated to the user through a communication network to store and use various contents (S51).

In this case, the content to be used by the user may be configured to allow the user to directly upload to his storage space using a local computer device.

Then, the content stored in each user's storage space is filtered to determine which content provider the content is associated with, and manages content usage history information for each content provider made in each storage space (S52).

The filtering in step S52 may be performed in various ways. One example is configured to compare the property information of the content file of each content provider with the property information of the file stored in the storage space of each user.

In other words, the content is in the form of a file. The file contains various characteristic information that uniquely identifies the file such as file name, extension, file size, contents of the file, and creation date. Can be determined. In order to perform filtering in this manner, each content file of each content provider itself or characteristic information of each content file must be maintained.

Now, the amount of revenue for each content provider is calculated according to the content usage history information for each content provider managed in step S52 (S53).

Step S53 will be described in detail. In addition to their own profits, providers of storage services distribute revenues as content usage fees to each content provider, so they need to receive fees that are the basis of these revenues.

This underlying fee may be a storage service usage fee provided through step S51. Then, step S53 is configured to calculate a profit to be distributed to each content provider within the range of storage usage fee paid by the user.

Referring to Figure 6 will be described the flow of proceeds made in accordance with the present invention. When the user pays the storage service usage fee, the storage service provider calculates a distribution of revenue with each content provider, and distributes the profit to each content provider within the storage service usage fee of the user.

That is, the storage service usage fee paid by a user as shown in the example shown in FIG. 7 includes profits to belong to the storage service provider for reasons such as a price for providing a storage service to a user or a payment for a content provider. Profit to be distributed to each content provider # 1 to #n is included, and the profit of each content provider is calculated according to the distribution rule.

Content use history information for each content provider to be managed in step S52 may be variously configured to be used for settlement with the content provider in step S53.

For example, the time when each content is stored in the storage space and the time when the content is deleted from the storage space, the size of each content, the type of each content, the number of times each content has been used by the user, and the like.

Each embodiment described above is intended to help the understanding of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be variously modified and implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. Of course.

1 is an embodiment of a content management system according to the present invention;

2 illustrates an embodiment of configuring storage service means;

3 is an example of an operation process of a content filter unit;

4 is another embodiment of a content management system according to the present invention;

5 is an embodiment of a content management method according to the present invention;

6 and 7 are outlines for explaining the charge according to the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

13: Network 20: Content Management System

21: storage service means 21-1: membership

21-2: Authentication processing unit 21-3: Payment unit

21-4: Storage Allocation 21-5: Storage Management

21-6: Account Database 21-7: Storage

22: content filter unit 23: history management unit

24: settlement unit 25: content acquisition unit

26: content provider interface unit

Claims (10)

Storage service means for allowing each user to access the storage space through a communication network and to manage and use contents in the storage space after allocating the storage space; A content filter unit for filtering content of the storage space allocated to each user to determine which content provider is related to the content; A history manager configured to manage content usage history information for each content provider made in each user's storage space by using the result confirmed by the content filter unit; And And a settlement unit configured to calculate a profit to be distributed to each of the content providers according to the content usage history information of each of the content providers. The method of claim 1, The content provider interface unit for notifying each of the content providers of the content usage history information for each content provider managed by the history management unit and one or more information of the revenue information for each content provider calculated by the settlement unit through a communication network. Content management system in conjunction with the storage service further comprises. The method of claim 2, The content provider interface unit includes an Internet homepage which processes and displays one or more of the content usage history information and the revenue information of the corresponding content provider in a predetermined format to a content provider logged in using their authentication information. Content management system linked with the storage service characterized in that. The method of claim 1, The content filter unit compares the property information of the content file of each content provider with the property information of the file stored in the storage space of each user so that the content stored in the storage space of each user is different. And a content management system in association with the storage service. The method of claim 1, The storage service means allocates the storage space to a user who has paid a storage service fee, and the settlement unit is configured to calculate a profit to be distributed to each content provider within a range of the storage fee. Content management system linked with the service. The method of claim 1, A content management system in connection with a storage service further comprising a content acquisition unit for providing a list of the content available to the user through the communication network and stores the content selected by the user in the storage space of the user. Allocating a predetermined storage space to each user for a fee and allowing each user to access and use the allocated storage space through a communication network to store and use various contents; Identifying which content provider the content stored in each user's storage space is associated with and managing content usage history information for each content provider made in each user's storage space; And Calculating a profit to be distributed to each content provider according to the content usage history information for each content provider. The method of claim 7, wherein And the content is configured to enable each user to upload to the storage space using a local computer device. The method of claim 7, wherein The calculation of the revenue to be distributed to each content provider is configured to be made according to the content usage history information for each content provider within the usage fee range of the storage space. The method of claim 7, wherein Identifying which content provider the content stored in each user's storage space is associated with, whether the property information of the content file of each content provider matches the property information of the file stored in each user's storage space. Content management method in conjunction with the storage service, characterized in that configured to be made by comparing.

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