KR20150088949A - Method and apparatus for providing content purchased from offline store - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for providing content to a purchaser having purchased the content. The content could be virtual content. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for receiving content payment information from a POS in an offline store selling content and providing the content to a terminal of a purchaser. Also, the present invention receives content from an apparatus providing the content, converts the content in an inexecutable state into an executable state by using an intermediation app, and executes the converted content.

Description

[0001] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING CONTENT PURCHASED FROM OFFLINE STORE [0002]

The technical field relates to a content providing technique, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for providing virtual contents.

In order to purchase the virtual content, the purchaser can proceed to settle the virtual content online. The online payment may additionally require a procedure for authenticating the purchaser. A credit card or the like may be used as a means of payment for purchases used for online settlement. In addition, cash or coupons purchased online as payment means can be used.

Buyers can also purchase a cache or coupon that can be used as a payment method in offline stores. However, the process of registering the cache or coupon for online use in order to purchase the content may be additionally performed by the purchaser.

Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2004-0017834 (published on February 27, 2004) discloses a method for managing purchase management of broadcast digital contents. A public invention can receive a digital content broadcast by a broadcasting means, generate a purchase order of the content, transmit it to a means for processing a purchase order, and download the content from the processing means. The present invention may include a payment step between a transmitting step and a downloading step to cause the terminal to receive a download ticket from the processing means after paying for the content.

One embodiment may provide an apparatus and method for providing virtual content.

One embodiment may provide an apparatus and method for providing content purchased by a purchaser in an offline store.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing payment, comprising the steps of: receiving payment information of a content from a point of sale (POS) of an offline store selling content, the payment information including an identifier of a purchaser terminal of the content; Identifying the content based on the information, and transmitting the content in an incapable state to the terminal based on the identifier of the terminal, wherein the content is virtual content.

The content providing method may further include decrypting the encrypted payment information.

The received payment information may be the encrypted information.

The content may be transmitted via at least one of a Short Message Service, a Multi-media Message Service and a messenger service specified by the identifier of the terminal.

The content providing method may further include encrypting the content.

The content in the non-executable state may be the content to which the encryption is applied.

The encryption can use the identifier of the terminal as a key.

And transmitting a download link for installing the mediation app to the terminal.

The content in the non-executable state may be converted into a state executable by the intermediary app.

The method of providing the content may further include receiving a transfer request of the intermediary application from the terminal through the download link.

The method of providing the content may further include transmitting the intermediary application to the terminal.

The step of receiving the payment information may receive the payment information from a distribution company server connected to the POS.

The method of providing the content may further include receiving return data indicating a request to return the content from the POS of the offline store from which the content is returned.

The method of providing the content may further include transmitting, to the terminal, an instruction to re-convert the content to the non-executable state when the request for the return is approved.

The form of the return data read by the POS may be at least one of a one-dimensional bar code and a two-dimensional bar code.

The method of providing the content may further include receiving return data indicating a request to return the content from the POS of the offline store from which the content is returned.

The method further comprises a step of accepting the request for the return and transmitting to the terminal a command to remove the content in the non-executable state from the terminal if the content is in an executable state at the terminal can do.

The content may be a game item executed in a game application.

The content in the non-executable state may be that the game item exists in the form of a code.

The code may be converted into the game item in the game of the game application by the mediation app installed in the terminal at the terminal.

The content may be a paid application.

The content in the non-executable state may be information for installation of the application.

The information for the installation may be used by the terminal to download and install the application by the intermediary application installed in the terminal.

The content may be a pay-per-view video.

The content in the non-executable state may be information for reproducing the video object.

The information for playback may be used by the terminal for playback of the video object by the intermediary app installed in the terminal.

In another aspect, there is provided a content distribution method comprising: receiving settlement information of a content from a point of sale of an offline store for selling a content; receiving the content in a state of being incapable of being executed by the terminal based on an identifier of a purchaser terminal of the content; And a processing unit for identifying the content based on the payment information, wherein the payment information includes the identifier of the terminal, and the content is virtual content.

The communication unit may receive the payment information from a distribution company server managing the POS.

The communication unit may receive return data indicating a request to return the content from the POS of the offline store from which the content is returned.

And the communication unit may transmit an instruction to the terminal to re-convert the content to the non-executable state when the processing unit approves the request for the return.

According to yet another aspect, there is provided a method of providing content to be performed by a terminal, the method comprising: receiving the content in a non-executable state from a content providing apparatus that provides the content; And transforming the content into an executable state by converting the content, wherein the content is virtual content.

The method of providing the content may further include receiving the intermediary application from the intermediary application providing apparatus that provides the intermediary application.

The content in the non-executable state may be the content to which the encryption is applied.

The conversion may be a decoding corresponding to the encryption.

The encryption and the decryption may use the identifier of the terminal as a key.

The identifier may be input to a point of sale (POS) of an offline store that sells the content, and may be provided to a content server, which is the content providing apparatus, through a distributor server of the POS.

The encryption may be performed by the content server.

The content may be transmitted through at least one of a short message service, a multi-media message service, and a messenger service designated by an identifier of the terminal.

The identifier may be input to the POS of the offline store that sells the content, and may be provided to the content device through the POS server.

The content providing method may further include generating return data indicating a request for returning the content in a form readable by the POS of the offline store from which the content is returned.

The content providing method may further include outputting the generated return data.

The content providing method may further include receiving a response to the request for return from the content providing apparatus.

The content providing method may further include the step of reconverting the content requested to be returned to the non-executable state if the response is a response to approve the request for the return.

The request for the return may be transmitted from the POS that has read the return data to the content providing apparatus.

The form in which the POS can read is at least one of a one-dimensional bar code and a two-dimensional bar code.

And generating return data indicating a request for returning the content in a form in which the POS of the offline store in which the content is returned can read the return data.

And outputting the generated return data.

And receiving a response to the request for return from the content providing apparatus.

And removing the content in the non-executable state from the terminal if the response is a response to approve the request for the return, and the conversion is not performed.

The content may be a game item executed in a game application.

The content in the non-executable state may be that the game item exists in the form of a code.

The content in the executable state may be that the game item exists as an item in the game of the game application.

The intermediary app may convert the code into the item in the game.

The content may be a paid application.

The content in the non-executable state may be information for installation of the application.

The content in the executable state may be the application installed in the terminal.

The intermediary application can download and install the application using the information for the installation.

The content may be a pay-per-view video.

The content in the non-executable state may be information for reproducing the video object.

The content in the executable state may be the video object in a state of being reproduced in the terminal.

The mediating app can play the video using information for playing back the video.

In another aspect, there is provided an information processing apparatus that converts a content in an unexecutable state by using a communication unit that receives the content in an unexecutable state from a content providing apparatus that provides the content and an intermediary application, And a processing unit, wherein the content is virtual content.

The content in the non-executable state may be the content to which the encryption is applied.

The conversion may be a decoding corresponding to the encryption.

The processing unit may generate return data indicating a request for returning the content in a form such that the POS of the offline store in which the content is returned can read and output the generated return data.

The communication unit may receive a response to the request for return from the content providing apparatus.

The processing unit may re-convert the content requested to be returned to the non-executable state if the response is a response to approve the request for the return.

According to another aspect, there is provided a method of providing content to be performed by a terminal, the method comprising: receiving a link providing the content from a point of sale (POS); Claims 1. A content providing method, comprising: requesting to a content server, receiving the content from the content server, and executing the content, wherein the content is virtual content.

The content providing method may further include determining whether a content application executing the content is necessary.

The content providing method may further include requesting the content application to provide the content application to the content application server that provides the content application if the content application requires it.

The content providing method may further include receiving the content application from the content application server.

The step of executing the content may execute the content using the content application.

In another aspect, there is provided an apparatus for receiving a link providing content from a point of sale (POS), requesting a content server to provide the content based on the link, and receiving the content from the content server A communication unit, and a processing unit for executing the content, wherein the content is virtual content.

An apparatus and method for providing virtual content are provided.

There is provided an apparatus and method for providing a purchaser with contents purchased by a purchaser in an offline store.

A method and apparatus are provided for handling a refund of virtual content when a buyer refunds the virtual content in an offline store.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system for providing content to a buyer when a buyer purchases the content in an offline store according to an example.
FIG. 2 illustrates a system coupled to a POS in accordance with an example.
3 shows a configuration diagram of a content server according to an embodiment.
FIG. 4 shows a configuration diagram of a terminal of a buyer according to an embodiment.
5 illustrates a signal flow diagram of a method of providing content to a content buyer in accordance with an embodiment.
FIG. 6 shows a signal flow diagram of a method by which a content providing apparatus according to an example provides content to a friend terminal.
FIG. 7 illustrates a signal flow diagram of a method of providing an intermediary app to a buyer's terminal according to an example.
Figure 8 shows a signal flow diagram of a method for returning content according to an example.
Figure 9 shows a flow diagram of a method for returning content according to an example.
10 illustrates a signal flow diagram of a method of providing a content application that executes content in accordance with an example.
11 shows a signal flow diagram of a method for a terminal according to an example to receive a link providing content.

In the following, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like reference symbols in the drawings denote like elements.

Various modifications may be made to the embodiments and may have various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the description. It is to be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the embodiments to the embodiments, but to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

The terms used in the examples are used only to illustrate specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the embodiments. The singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present application, the terms "comprises" or "having" and the like are used to specify that there is a feature, a number, a step, an operation, an element, a component or a combination thereof described in the specification, But do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this embodiment belongs. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries are to be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the contextual meaning of the related art and are to be interpreted as either ideal or overly formal in the sense of the present application Do not.

In the following description of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals regardless of the reference numerals, and redundant explanations thereof will be omitted. In the following description of the embodiments, a detailed description of related arts will be omitted if it is determined that the gist of the embodiments may be unnecessarily blurred.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system for providing content to a buyer when a buyer purchases the content in an offline store according to an example.

Content can be sold in offline stores. For example, the content may be executable virtual content in an electronic device. The virtual content may be a game item of a game application operating in an electronic device. Alternatively, the virtual content may be a paid application installed in the electronic device. Alternatively, the virtual content may be an over-the-air video object that is played back on the electronic device. For example, a fee-based video can be one of a movie and an e-book.

According to one embodiment, the content may be sold in the form of a proxy item 120. The proxy item 120 may be a merchandise whose barcode is indicative of the content.

The buyer 110 may select the proxy item 120 to purchase the content among the products displayed in the offline store.

The POS (Point of Sale) 130 installed in the offline store can read the proxy item 120 using the barcode of the proxy item 120 selected by the buyer 110.

The purchaser 110 can settle the cost of purchasing the content using the payment means 112. [

POS 130 may read payment means 112 of buyer 110 and perform settlement. The settlement performed by the POS 130 may be an electronic settlement. For example, the payment means 112 may be a check card, a credit card, or a card filled with cash.

The settlement can be performed even when the buyer 110 pays cash.

The purchaser 110 can input the identifier of the terminal 114 of the buyer 110 to the POS 130. [ For example, the identifier of the terminal 114 may be at least one of the terminal number of the terminal 114 and the ID of the application installed in the terminal 114.

The POS 130 may read the proxy item 120 to generate product information and payment information. For example, the item information may be information about the proxy item 120. The payment information may include at least one of the information of the content represented by the proxy item 120, the price of the content, the information about the payment means 110 of the purchaser 110 and the identifier of the terminal 114 of the purchaser 110 have.

The POS 130 may transmit at least one of the product information, payment information and the identifier of the terminal 114 to the distribution company server 140 of the distribution company connected to the POS 130.

For example, the distributor may be the entity that operates or manages the offline store where the POS 130 is installed. The distributor can manage the POS 130 through the distributor server 140. In addition, the distribution company server 140 may be interlocked with the POS 130.

The distribution company server 140 may transmit at least one of the product information, the payment information, and the terminal identifier to the content server 150 that provides the content to the purchaser 110 in order to provide the purchased content to the purchaser 110. [

The content server 150 can provide the content purchased by the purchaser 110 to the terminal 114 of the purchaser 110 based on at least one of the received merchandise information, payment information and terminal identifier. The content server 150 may also provide a mediation application to the terminal 114 that allows the terminal 114 to execute the content.

The purchaser 110 can execute the content transmitted to the terminal 114 of the purchaser 110 on the terminal 114. [

Through the above-described processes, the purchaser 110 can receive the content purchased in the offline store.

FIG. 2 illustrates a system coupled to a POS in accordance with an example.

The distribution company's headquarters, distributor server, production management terminal, logistics management terminal, sales management terminal, first POS and second POS can be connected to each other via the Internet.

The first POS may be one of the POSs installed in the offline stores of the distributor.

The first POS may use a lower specification processor than the price for the stability of the system of the first POS. A processor with a lower specification than the price may be a stable processor.

The first POS can be connected to the system of FIG. 2 with a closed structure. For example, the first POS may be connected only to the second POS, the headquarters of the distributor, the distributor server, the production management terminal, the logistics management terminal, and the sales management terminal.

The first POS can be used by the distributor to count the sales of the products in the off-line store and order the products.

The first POS may not be connected to the POS of the distributor different from the distributor of the first POS. Also, the POSs of the first POS and the different distributors may not be compatible with each other.

According to one embodiment, the program of the first POS can be modified only by the distributor of the first POS. That is, other distributors may not be able to modify the program of the first POS.

The first POS or the second POS may be the POS 130 described above.

The POS 130 installed in the offline store may be connected to the closed system as shown in FIG. Thus, the information read by the POS 130 and the information generated by the POS 130 may be transmitted through the distributor server 140 of the distributor.

The distributor server 140 can be connected to other devices via the Internet to exchange information. For example, the distribution company server 140 may be connected to the content server 150.

The content server 150 may provide the purchased content of the buyer 110 to the terminal 114 of the buyer 110.

The content server 150 may receive at least one of the merchandise information, the payment information, and the terminal identifier information from the POS 130 through the distribution server 140. [

Hereinafter, a method of providing content purchased by the purchaser 110 to the terminal 114 of the purchaser 110 will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 3 to 11. Fig.

3 shows a configuration diagram of a content server according to an embodiment.

The content server 150 may include a communication unit 310, a processing unit 320, and a storage unit 330.

The communication unit 310 can exchange information with other devices connected via the Internet. For example, the communication unit 310 may be connected to the distribution company server 140.

The processing unit 320 can process the information received by the communication unit 310. [

The storage unit 330 may store a result of the processing unit 320 processing information. In addition, the storage unit 330 may store contents. The content purchased by the purchaser 110 may be one of contents stored in the storage unit 330. [

The communication unit 310, the processing unit 320, and the storage unit 330 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8. FIG.

FIG. 4 shows a configuration diagram of a terminal of a buyer according to an embodiment.

The terminal 114 of the above-described buyer 110 may include a communication unit 410, a processing unit 420, and a storage unit 430.

The communication unit 410 may exchange information with other devices connected via the Internet. For example, the communication unit 4110 can receive information transmitted by the content server 150. [

The processing unit 420 can process information received by the communication unit 410. [

The storage unit 430 may store a result of the processing unit 420 processing information. In addition, the storage unit 430 may store information received by the communication unit 410.

The communication unit 410, the processing unit 420, and the storage unit 430 will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 5 to 11. Fig.

5 illustrates a signal flow diagram of a method of providing content to a content buyer in accordance with an embodiment.

In step 505, the POS in the offline store 130 may read the proxy item 120 selected by the buyer 110. The buyer 110 may select the proxy item 120 to purchase the content. For example, the POS 130 may read the barcode of the proxy item 120.

At step 510, the POS 130 may perform payment for the content.

Step 510 may include the following steps 512-514.

At step 512, the POS 510 can read the payment means 112 of the buyer 110 and perform electronic settlement.

At step 514 the POS 510 may receive an identifier of the terminal 114 of the purchaser 110 from the purchaser 110. [

In step 510, the POS 130 may generate the merchandise information and payment information of the read proxy item 120. [ For example, the item information may be information about the proxy item 120. The payment information may include at least one of the information of the content represented by the proxy item 120, the price of the content, the information about the payment means 110 of the purchaser 110 and the identifier of the terminal 114 of the purchaser 110 have.

At step 515, the POS 130 may transmit at least one of the merchandise information and the payment information to the distribution company server 140.

In step 520, the distribution company server 140 may encrypt the received payment information.

Step 520 may not be performed.

At step 525, the distribution server 140 may transmit the encrypted payment information to the content server 150 if step 520 is performed.

At step 525, the retailer server 140 may send the unencrypted payment information to the content server 150 if step 520 is not performed.

At step 525, the distribution server 140 may identify the content server 150 to which to send the payment information based on the merchandise information.

In step 525, the communication unit 310 of the content server 150 may receive the payment information from the distribution server 140 connected to the POS 130. The distribution company server 140 may be a relay server for transmitting payment information. That is, the communication unit 310 can receive the payment information of the content from the POS of the offline store that sells the content.

The content server 150 receives payment information from the POS 130 or the distribution server 140 because the distributor that distributes the content plays a role of a payment agency acting for payment of the content, Lt; / RTI >

For example, if the distributor acts as a payment agent, the content purchased by the buyer 110 may be provided by the content server 150. [ The following steps 530 through 545 describe how the content server 150 provides the content.

In step 530, the processing unit 320 of the content server 150 may decrypt the encrypted payment information if the received payment information is encrypted information.

In step 535, the processing unit 320 may identify the content purchased by the buyer 110 based on the payment information.

In step 540, the processing unit 320 may encrypt the identified content.

The processing unit 320 can convert the content into a non-executable state by applying encryption to the content. The encryption may use the identifier of the terminal 114 as a key.

If the content is a game item that is executed in a game application, the content in an unexecutable state may exist in the form of a game item.

If the content is a paid application, the non-executable content may be information for installation of the application.

In the case where the content is a pay-per-view video, the non-executable content may be information for playing back the video.

According to one embodiment, step 540 may not be performed. If step 540 is not performed, the following step 545 may be performed after step 535 is performed.

In step 545, the communication unit 310 may transmit the content to the terminal 114 based on the identifier of the terminal 114, according to an embodiment.

The transmitted content may be in a non-executable state. For example, the content in the non-executable state may be encrypted content. The encrypted content may not be executed in the terminal 114 unless decryption is performed.

As another example, the non-executable content may be content executed only on the terminal 114 where the content application required to execute the content is installed.

According to another embodiment, the communication unit 310 may transmit a link providing content to the terminal 114 based on the identifier of the terminal 114. [

The content or the link providing the content may be transmitted to the terminal 114 through at least one of a short message service (SMS), a multimedia message service (MMS), and a messenger service designated by an identifier of the terminal 114 0.0 > 114 < / RTI >

In step 545, the communication unit 410 of the terminal 114 may receive a link providing content or content from the content server 150. [ The received content may be in a non-executable state.

The content server 150 may be a content providing apparatus that provides the content. In other words, the terminal 114 can receive content that is in an unhealthy state from the content providing apparatus that provides the content.

A method in which the terminal 114 receives content via a link will be described in detail below with reference to FIG.

In step 550, the processing unit 420 of the terminal 114 may execute the content directly on the terminal 114. [ Step 550 may include the following steps 552 through 556. [

At step 552, according to one embodiment, the processing unit 420 may decrypt the encrypted content using the mediation app provided to the terminal 114. [ The decryption may correspond to the encryption in step 540. Decryption can use the identifier of the terminal 114 as a key.

According to another embodiment, the processing unit 420 may install a content application that can decrypt the encrypted content using the mediation app provided in the terminal 114. [

In step 554, the processing unit 420 may convert the content into an executable state by converting the content in the non-executable state using the mediation app. That is, the content in the non-executable state can be converted into a state executable by the intermediary application.

The transformation may be a decryption of step 552 corresponding to the encryption of step 540.

If the content is a game item that is executed in a game application, the content in an unexecutable state may be that the game item exists in the form of a code. The code may be translated by the mediation app at terminal 114 into a game item in the game of the game application. The content in the executable state may be that the game item exists as an item in the game of the game application.

If the content is a paid application, the non-executable content may be information for installation of the application. The information for installation can be used by the intermediary application 114 to download and install the application. That is, the content in the executable state may be an application installed in the terminal 114.

In the case where the content is a pay-per-view video, the non-executable content may be information for playing back the video. The information for playback can be used by the intermediary application 114 for playback of the video content in the state of charge. That is, the content in the executable state may be a video object in a state of being reproduced in the terminal 114.

The processing unit 420 may convert the encrypted content or content through the content application into a state executable on the terminal 114. [

At step 556, the processing unit 420 may execute the converted content into an executable state. For example, if the content is a game item executed in a game application, the converted game item can be executed in the game of the game application.

A method may be provided in which the content purchased by the buyer 110 is provided to the terminal 114 of the buyer 110 through the steps 505 to 550 described above.

The technical contents described above with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 can be applied as they are, so that a more detailed description will be omitted below.

The purchaser 110 can execute the purchased content on the terminal 114 of the purchaser 110. [ In addition, the purchaser 110 can provide the purchased content to a friend of the purchaser 110. [ That is, the buyer 110 can present the contents to the friend.

Referring to FIG. 6 below, a method by which the buyer 110 provides content to a friend of the buyer 110 will be described in detail.

FIG. 6 shows a signal flow diagram of a method by which a content providing apparatus according to an example provides content to a friend terminal.

In step 610, the terminal 114 may send the content to the friend terminal 600 of the friend of the buyer 110 using the mediation app. The friend terminal 600 can be identified by the identifier of the friend terminal 600 stored in the mediation app of the terminal 114. [ In addition, the identifier of the friend terminal 600 may be one of the terminal numbers stored in the terminal 114.

Step 610 may be performed after step 545 described above is performed and before step 550 is performed at terminal 114. [ That is, the content in the unexecutable state received by the terminal 114 can be transmitted to the friend terminal 600.

When step 610 is performed, the terminal 114 may be a content providing apparatus that provides the content. In other words, the buddy terminal 600 can receive contents that can not be executed from the contents providing apparatus that provides the contents.

When step 610 is performed, the processing unit of the friend terminal 600 may perform the above-described step 550 using the intermediary app installed in the friend terminal 600. [ That is, the steps 552 to 556 may be performed in the friend terminal 600.

The user of the friend terminal 600 can execute the gift-received contents in the friend terminal 600. [

The technical contents described above with reference to Figs. 1 to 5 may be applied as they are, so that a more detailed description will be omitted below.

5 to 6 described above can be applied when a mediation app is installed in the terminal 114. [

A method of providing the intermediary application to the terminal 114 when the intermediary application is not installed in the terminal 114 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

FIG. 7 illustrates a signal flow diagram of a method of providing an intermediary app to a buyer's terminal according to an example.

The following steps 710 to 740 may be performed after step 545 described above is performed.

In step 710, the communication unit 310 of the content server 150 may transmit a download link for installing the mediation app on the terminal 114 to the terminal 114.

In step 720, the terminal 114 may transmit the intermediary application transmission request to the intermediary application provision apparatus 700 that provides the intermediary application through the received download link.

In step 730, the intermediary application provision apparatus 700 may transmit the intermediary application to the terminal 114.

In step 740, the terminal 114 may install the received mediation app on the terminal 114.

After step 740 is performed, the above-described step 550 may be performed.

The intermediary application providing apparatus 700 and the content server 150 may be physically separated apparatuses.

Alternatively, the content server 150 may provide an intermediary app. That is, the mediating-app providing apparatus 700 may be the content server 150. The content server 150 can receive the transfer request of the intermediary application from the terminal 114 and transfer the intermediary application to the terminal 114. [

The technical contents described above with reference to Figs. 1 to 6 can be applied as they are, so that a more detailed description will be omitted below.

In the above-described Figs. 5 to 7, a method of providing contents to the terminal has been described. However, if the buyer 110 does not like the purchased content, he can refund the purchased content. A refund of the content may mean returning the content.

A method of processing refund of contents when the buyer 110 refunds the contents will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 8 to 9 below.

Figure 8 shows a signal flow diagram of a method for returning content according to an example.

If the content is not transmitted to the terminal 114 of the buyer 110, the buyer 110 can cancel the purchase for the content and cancel the purchase. A problem of returning the content may not occur until the content is transmitted to the terminal 114. [

Thus, the problem of returning the content may occur after the content is transmitted to the terminal 114. The following steps 805 to 850 as to how to return the content may be performed after step 545 of providing content to the terminal 114 is performed.

At step 805, the processing unit 420 of the terminal 114 may generate return data indicating a request for the return of the content in a form such that the POS of the offline store in which the content is returned can be read.

The POS 800 can read at least one of a one-dimensional bar code and a two-dimensional bar code. For example, the two-dimensional bar code may be a Quick Response (QR) code.

In step 810, the processing unit 420 may output the return data generated using the display of the terminal 114. [

In step 813, the return data output to the terminal 114 may be provided to the POS 800 of the offline store where the content is returned.

POS shops 800 and POS 130 of the offline store from which content is returned may be different POSs. The POS 800 and the POS 130 may be different if the buyer 110 returns the content at an offline store different from the offline store where the content was purchased. Also, even if the offline store is the same, the POS shop 800 and the POS 130 may be different since a plurality of POSs may be installed in the offline store.

In addition, POS 800 and POS 130 may be the same. If POS 800 and POS 130 are the same POS, POS 130 may perform steps 813 through 825 performed by POS 800. [

In step 815, the POS 800 may read the return data provided by the terminal 114.

In step 820, the POS 800 may cancel the transaction for the purchased content by the buyer 114. [

If the transaction for the content is canceled, the POS 800 can cancel the electronic settlement through the distributor server 140 connected to the POS 800. That is, the purchased content can be refunded.

At step 825, the POS 800 may send a content return request to the distributor server 140. The content return request may include return data.

In step 830, the distribution server 140 may send the received content return request to the content server 150. [ In other words, the distribution company server 140 may be a relay server for transmitting a content return request from the POS 800 to the content server 835. [

In step 830, the communication unit 310 of the content server 150 may receive return data indicating a request for the return of the content from the POS 800.

In step 835, the processing unit 320 of the content server 150 can check whether or not the content return request is a normal return request. For example, the processing unit 320 can check whether the content return request is a normal return request by comparing the payment information and return data received in the step 525 described above.

If the content return request is determined to be a normal return request, the processing unit 320 can approve the content return request.

In step 840, the communication unit 310 may transmit a response to the return request to the terminal 114.

The communication unit 310 may transmit a content return command to the terminal 114 to return the content if the response is a response to approve the request to return.

The content return command may be an instruction to retransform the content to an un-executable state or an instruction to remove the non-executable state content from the terminal 114 if the content is not executable on the terminal 114. [

The communication unit 410 of the terminal 114 may receive a response to the return request from the content server 150. [ Further, the communication unit 410 can receive the content return command from the content server 150. [

In step 850, the terminal 114 may return the content if the received response is a response that acknowledges the request to return.

Step 850 is described in detail below with reference to FIG.

The technical contents described with reference to Figs. 1 to 7 can be applied as they are, so that a more detailed description will be omitted below.

Figure 9 shows a flow diagram of a method for returning content according to an example.

The above-described step 850 may include the following steps 910 to 930.

In step 910, the processing unit 420 of the terminal 114 may determine whether the above-described step 550 has been performed. That is, the processing unit 420 can determine whether or not the content in the non-executable state has been converted into the executable content.

Step 920 can be performed when the content in the non-executable state is converted into the executable content.

At step 920, the processing unit 420 may re-convert the content requested to be returned to content that is in an un-executable state. The re-transformed content may not be executable at the terminal 114. [

Step 930 may be performed when the content in the non-executable state is not converted into the executable content.

In step 930, the processing unit 420 may remove the content in the non-executable state from the terminal 114.

The technical contents described with reference to Figs. 1 to 8 can be applied as they are, so that a more detailed description will be omitted below.

10 illustrates a signal flow diagram of a method of providing a content application that executes content in accordance with an example.

The following steps 1010 to 1080 may be performed after step 535 described above in FIG. 5 is performed.

In step 1010, the communication unit 310 of the content server 150 may send a link that provides the identified content to the terminal 114 based on the identifier of the terminal 114.

The communication unit 410 of the terminal 114 may receive a link for providing the content from the content server 150. [

In step 1020, the communication unit 410 may request the content server 150 to provide the content using the mediation app installed in the terminal 114 based on the received link.

The communication unit 310 of the content server 150 may receive a content provision request from the terminal 114. [

In step 1030, the communication unit 310 may transmit the content to the terminal 114. [

The communication unit 410 of the terminal 114 can receive the content from the content server 150. [ For example, the communication unit 410 of the terminal 114 may receive the content using the intermediary application.

In step 1040, the processing unit 420 of the terminal 114 may determine whether a content application that executes the content using the mediation app is needed. For example, if the content is a video, the content application may be an application capable of playing the video. As another example, if the content is a game item, the content application may be a game application capable of executing the content. As another example, if the content is a game cache, the content application may be an application that shows that the user has a game cache.

If the content application is not needed, the following step 1070 may be performed.

If a content application is required, the following step 1050 may be performed.

In step 1050, the communication unit 410 may request the content application server 1000 to provide the content application if the content application is required. For example, the communication unit 410 may request the content application server 1000 to provide a content application using the mediation app.

Content application server 1000 and content server 150 may be physically separate devices.

Alternatively, the content server 150 may provide a content application. That is, the content application server 1000 may be the content server 150. [ When the content application server 1000 is the content server 150, the content server 150 may receive a request for providing the content application from the terminal 114 and may transmit the content application to the terminal 114. [

According to one embodiment, the processing unit 420 of the terminal 114 can identify the content application server 1000 based on the received content.

According to another embodiment, the processing unit 420 of the terminal 114 can identify the content application server 1000 using the mediation app provided in the terminal 1140. [

Content application server 1000 may receive a request for provision of a content application from terminal 114. [

At step 1060, the content application server 1000 may provide a content application to the terminal 114. For example, the content application server 1000 may send data for installing the content application to the terminal 114 to the terminal 114.

The communication unit 410 of the terminal 114 can receive the content application from the content application server 1000. [ For example, the communication unit 410 of the terminal 114 may receive the content application from the content application server 1000 using the mediation app.

At step 1070, the processing unit 420 of the terminal 114 may execute the content using the content application.

If the content application is not required to execute the content, the processing unit 420 can execute the content.

According to one embodiment, the mediation app may function to distribute a content application for executing the content. That is, the mediation app can be a platform for distributing the content application.

For example, an intermediary app can perform the function of linking an offline purchase method with an online content application. Mediation apps can increase the convenience of purchasing online content offline.

When a content developer acquires an intermediary application, the method of distributing the content application through the intermediary application does not go through the intermediate distribution stage, which can increase the profit of the content developer.

Distribution of the content application by the App Store and the Social Networking Service (SNS) provider may be reduced if the content application is distributed through the intermediary application. The content developer can advantageously negotiate with the application store and the SNS provider using the effect of the intermediary application.

1 to 10 described above may be a method by which the content server 150 transmits content or a link providing the content to the terminal 114, according to an embodiment.

According to another embodiment, there may be a method by which the POS 130 transmits a link to the terminal 114 to provide the content. The manner in which the POS 130 transmits the link providing the content to the terminal 114 is described in detail below with reference to FIG.

The technical contents described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9 can be applied as they are, so that a more detailed description will be omitted below.

11 shows a signal flow diagram of a method for a terminal according to an example to receive a link providing content.

The following steps 1110 to 1130 may be performed after step 515 described above is performed.

In step 1110, the distribution server 140 may identify the content purchased by the buyer 110 based on the received payment information.

At step 1120, the distribution server 140 may send information to the POS 130 about the link providing the content.

If the POS 130 can identify the content purchased by the buyer 110 based on the payment information and information on the link providing the identified content to the POS 130 is stored, May not be performed.

In step 1130, the POS 130 may send a link that provides the content to the terminal 114 based on the identifier of the receiving terminal 114. The link providing the content may be transmitted to the terminal 114 via at least one of the SMS, MMS and messenger services specified by the identifier.

The communication unit 410 of the terminal 114 may receive a link from the POS 130 to provide the content.

According to one embodiment, after step 1130 is performed, step 1020 described above may be performed.

The technical contents described above with reference to Figs. 1 to 10 can be applied as they are, so that a more detailed description will be omitted below.

The method according to an embodiment may be implemented in the form of a program command that can be executed through various computer means and recorded in a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, and the like, alone or in combination. The program instructions to be recorded on the medium may be those specially designed and configured for the embodiments or may be available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tape; optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magnetic media such as floppy disks; Magneto-optical media, and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include machine language code such as those produced by a compiler, as well as high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. The hardware devices described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the embodiments, and vice versa.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. For example, it is to be understood that the techniques described may be performed in a different order than the described methods, and / or that components of the described systems, structures, devices, circuits, Lt; / RTI > or equivalents, even if it is replaced or replaced.

Therefore, other implementations, other embodiments, and equivalents to the claims are also within the scope of the following claims.

110: Buyer
114: terminal
130: Force
140: distributor server
150: Content server

Claims (34)

Receiving payment information of the content from a point of sale (POS) of an in-store selling the content, the payment information including an identifier of a purchaser terminal of the content;
Identifying the content based on the payment information; And
Transmitting the content in a non-executable state to the terminal based on the identifier of the terminal
Lt; / RTI >
Wherein the content is virtual content. The method according to claim 1,
Decrypting the encrypted payment information
Further comprising:
And the received payment information is the encrypted information. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the content is transmitted via at least one of a Short Message Service, a Multi-media Message Service and a messenger service specified by the identifier of the terminal. The method according to claim 1,
Encrypting the content
Further comprising:
Wherein the content in the non-executable state is the content to which the encryption is applied. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the encryption uses the identifier of the terminal as a key. The method according to claim 1,
Transmitting a download link for installing an intermediary application to the terminal
Further comprising:
And the content in the non-executable state is converted into a state executable by the intermediary app. The method according to claim 6,
Receiving a transfer request of the intermediary application from the terminal through the download link; And
Transmitting the intermediary application to the terminal
Further comprising the step of: The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the step of receiving the payment information comprises receiving the payment information from a distribution company server connected to the POS. The method according to claim 1,
Receiving return data indicating a request to return the content from a POS of the offline store from which the content is returned; And
Transmitting a command to the terminal to re-convert the content to an unexecutable state when the request for the return is approved
Further comprising the step of: The method according to claim 1,
Receiving return data indicating a request to return the content from a POS of the offline store from which the content is returned; And
A step of accepting the request for return and transmitting to the terminal a command to remove the content in the non-executable state from the terminal if the content is in an executable state at the terminal
Further comprising the step of: The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the content is a game item executed in a game application,
Wherein the content in the non-executable state is that the game item exists in the form of a code,
Wherein the code is converted into the game item in the game of the game application by the intermediary application installed in the terminal at the terminal. The method according to claim 1,
The content is a paid application,
Wherein the content in the non-executable state is information for installing the application,
Wherein the information for the installation is used by the terminal for downloading and installing the application by an intermediary application installed in the terminal. The method according to claim 1,
The content is a pay-per-view video,
Wherein the content in the non-executable state is information for reproducing the video material,
Wherein the information for playback is used by the terminal for playback of the video content by an intermediary app installed in the terminal. A computer-readable recording medium containing a program for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13. A communication unit for receiving the payment information of the content from a point of sale of an in-store selling the content and transmitting the content that is not executable to the terminal based on the identifier of the purchaser's terminal; And
A processing unit for identifying the content based on the payment information;
Lt; / RTI >
Wherein the payment information includes the identifier of the terminal,
Wherein the content is virtual content. A method for providing content to be performed by a terminal,
Receiving the content in a non-executable state from a content providing apparatus that provides the content; And
Transforming the content into an executable state by transforming the content in the non-executable state using an intermediary app
Lt; / RTI >
Wherein the content is virtual content. 17. The method of claim 16,
Receiving the mediating app from the mediating app providing device that provides the mediating app
Further comprising the step of: 17. The method of claim 16,
Wherein the content in the non-executable state is the content to which encryption is applied,
Wherein the conversion is a decoding corresponding to the encryption. 19. The method of claim 18,
Wherein the encryption and the decryption use the identifier of the terminal as a key. 20. The method of claim 19,
The identifier is input to a point of sale (POS) of an off-site store selling the content and is provided to a content server, which is the content providing apparatus, through a distributor server of the POS,
Wherein the encryption is performed by the content server. 17. The method of claim 16,
Wherein the content is transmitted through at least one of a short message service, a multi-media message service, and a messenger service specified by an identifier of the terminal. 22. The method of claim 21,
Wherein the identifier is input to a POS of an offline store that sells the content and is provided to the content device through a distributor server of the POS. 17. The method of claim 16,
Generating return data indicating a request for returning the content in such a form that the POS of the offline store in which the content is returned can read it;
Outputting the generated return data;
Receiving a response to the request for return from the content providing apparatus; And
And if the response is a response to approve the request for return, re-converting the returned requested content to an un-
Further comprising the step of: 24. The method of claim 23,
Wherein the return request is transmitted from the POS that has read the return data to the content providing apparatus. 17. The method of claim 16,
Generating return data indicating a request for returning the content in such a form that the POS of the offline store in which the content is returned can read it;
Outputting the generated return data;
Receiving a response to the request for return from the content providing apparatus; And
Removing said content in said non-executable state from said terminal if said response is a response granting a request for said return,
Further comprising the step of: 17. The method of claim 16,
Wherein the content is a game item executed in a game application,
Wherein the content in the non-executable state is that the game item exists in the form of a code,
Wherein the content in the executable state is one in which the game item exists as an item in the game of the game application,
Wherein the intermediary app converts the code into the item in the game. 17. The method of claim 16,
The content is a paid application,
Wherein the content in the non-executable state is information for installing the application,
Wherein the content in the executable state is the application installed in the terminal,
Wherein the intermediary application downloads and installs the application using the information for installation. 17. The method of claim 16,
The content is a pay-per-view video,
Wherein the content in the non-executable state is information for reproducing the video material,
The content in the executable state is the video object in a state of being reproduced in the terminal,
Wherein the mediating app plays the video using information for playing back the video. 28. A computer-readable recording medium embodying a program for carrying out the method of any one of claims 16 to 28. A communication unit for receiving the content in a non-executable state from a content providing apparatus that provides the content; And
And converting the content in the non-executable state into an executable state by using an intermediary application
Lt; / RTI >
Wherein the content is virtual content. A method for providing content to be performed by a terminal,
Receiving a link providing the content from a point of sale (POS);
Requesting a content server to provide the content based on the link;
Receiving the content from the content server; And
Executing said content
Lt; / RTI >
Wherein the content is virtual content. 32. The method of claim 31,
Determining whether a content application executing the content is necessary;
Requesting a content application server to provide the content application when the content application is required; And
Receiving the content application from the content application server
Further comprising:
Wherein executing the content executes the content using the content application. 32. A computer-readable recording medium embodying a program for carrying out the method of any one of claims 31 to 32. A communication unit for receiving a link providing a content from a point of sale (POS), requesting a content server to provide the content based on the link, and receiving the content from the content server; And
A processing unit
Lt; / RTI >
Wherein the content is virtual content.

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