JP2002049799A - Product information receiving device, product information sending device, product information receiving method, and product information sending method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] Automatically generate order information of a product without automatically generating order information of the product by an operator, and provide the order information of the product automatically to the product information. And a merchandise information receiving apparatus and a merchandise information receiving method for transmitting to a person's address. A product information receiving device according to the present invention includes a receiving unit configured to receive a first product identifier or product information including a first product identifier and first keyword information, and a second product identifier or a second product identifier. A storage unit for storing keyword information and a receiver identifier, for determining whether the first product identifier and the second product identifier are the same, or for determining whether the first keyword information and the second keyword information are the same Or, if the first product identifier and the second product identifier are the same, or if the first keyword information and the second keyword information are the same or similar, An order information generating unit that automatically generates order information of a product according to the first product identifier; and an output unit that automatically outputs the order information via a communication line.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a product information receiving device, a product information transmitting device, a product information receiving method, and a product information transmitting method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the business of selling goods via communication means or broadcasting means has become popular. The product sales business via communication means is, for example, a method of selling products including providing product information and ordering products on the Internet. The consumer (recipient), for example, performs a browser search on a personal computer at home and obtains the URL of the seller.
(Uniform Resource Locato
Find r). Next, the consumer (recipient) accesses the URL of the seller via the Internet, and
The product information and the order form described in L are acquired (received). Next, the receiver determines the product to be ordered by looking at the obtained product information, and the name of the product to be ordered, the product identifier, the order quantity, the name of the orderer (consumer, receiver), the orderer After filling in the receiver identifier and the like, the order form is sent to the seller. The seller receives the order form and sends the ordered product to the recipient (for example, by mail). The seller obtains the price by withdrawing the price of the product from the orderer's bank account, for example.

[0003] The product sales business through broadcasting means is a method of selling products including, for example, providing product information through a television shopping program and ordering products via the Internet or telephone. The consumer (recipient)
Obtain the product information by watching the TV shopping program, decide the product to order, and follow the guide of the TV shopping program to order the product name, product identifier, order quantity, name and address of the orderer (consumer, receiver) After creating an order sheet describing the order, the order sheet is sent to the seller. The seller receives the order form and sends the ordered product to the recipient (for example, by mail). The seller obtains the price by withdrawing the price of the product from the orderer's bank account, for example.

[0004] In the business of selling goods via communication means or broadcasting means, the user can easily obtain product information which is information such as product specifications (eg, color, shape, function or performance) and price. And in many cases the product can be easily ordered.

[0005]

The receiver can easily obtain the product information by the conventional method of selling the product including providing the product information and ordering the product via the communication means or the broadcasting means. However, the conventional television shopping program merely provides product information to an unspecified number of recipients indiscriminately. ) Was not high. Therefore, it has been difficult to accurately predict sales based on the provision of the product information. The present invention provides a ratio (hit ratio) of recipients who purchase the product among recipients who provided the product information.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a product information transmitting apparatus and a product information transmitting method capable of predicting sales with a high probability based on provision of product information.

In the conventional pull-type merchandise sales method including provision of merchandise information and ordering of merchandise on the Internet, a person who wants to obtain merchandise information accesses, for example, the URL of the merchandise information provider. Therefore, it was necessary to acquire the product information by acquiring the product information by itself. In a conventional push-type product sales method including provision of product information and ordering of products on the Internet, a person who intends to obtain product information manually selects a desired product from an enormous amount of product information. Information had to be extracted, and it took a great deal of time and effort to obtain desired product information. The present invention provides a product information receiving apparatus that can automatically obtain desired product information without requiring a recipient to input a command to obtain product information and without manually extracting desired product information. It is intended to provide a method for receiving product information.

[0007] Further, in the conventional method of selling goods including providing goods information and ordering goods on the Internet,
A person who wants to order a product has to generate the order information for the product himself and send it to the address of the product information provider himself. The present invention automatically generates product order information and automatically transmits the product order information to the address of the product information provider even if the operator does not manually generate product order information. It is an object to provide a product information receiving apparatus and a product information receiving method.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiving section for receiving a first product identifier or product information including a first product identifier and first keyword information; A storage unit for storing the product identifier or the second keyword information and the recipient identifier, and determining whether the first product identifier and the second product identifier are the same, or A determining unit for determining whether the second keyword information is the same or similar;
If the product identifier and the second product identifier are the same, or if the first keyword information and the second keyword information are the same or similar, the order information of the product related to the first product identifier is automatically A product information receiving apparatus, comprising: an order information generating unit for automatically generating the order information; and an output unit for automatically outputting the order information.

According to the present invention, a receiver (a person who operates a product information receiving device) automatically selects desired product information from product information to be sent, and automatically generates order information. This has the effect that a product information receiving device for sending order information can be realized. The receiver can obtain the desired product without manually acquiring the desired product information by a browser search or the like, and without manually creating and sending an order form.

[0010] The receiving method of the "receiving unit" is arbitrary. For example, if the product information providing means is a broadcasting means such as a satellite broadcast or a terrestrial broadcast, a satellite broadcast receiving unit (including a satellite broadcast antenna and a tuner unit) or a terrestrial wave receiving unit (a terrestrial antenna and In the case of providing product information via the Internet, for example, the receiving unit is a MODEM (including a receiving unit and an output unit) of a personal computer. The “output unit” is, for example, an output unit of a MODEM (including a receiving unit and an output unit) of a personal computer, a printer, or the like. Preferably,
The output unit is a device such as a MODEM connected to a communication line (because an automatic order without any manual operation is possible). Therefore, the receiving unit and the output unit may be completely different from each other, or may be an integral unit that cannot be separated.

[0011] The "product identifier" is information unique to the product and assigned to each product. For example, the product identifier is 1
It is a combination of zero digits or letters. “Commodity information” refers to arbitrary information on a product. For example, HTML
The information includes the name, price, specifications, unfinished product order form (for example, an order form in which the orderer's name, purchase quantity, etc. are not entered) described in. The “order information” is information for ordering a product, and typically includes a product identifier, an order quantity, a name of an orderer, and the like. The “recipient identifier” is information unique to the recipient or the product information receiving device assigned to each recipient or each product information receiving device. For example, the recipient identifier is a combination of 10 digits or letters.

The "keyword information" means any information that can classify a product into a product unrelated to a related product based on the information. The "keyword information" includes, for example, a product classification code, a product classification name (category name), a product name, a manufacturer name, a manufacturer identifier (unique information assigned to each manufacturer), and a word representing a feature of the product (for example, "Video", "cleanliness", etc.), the URL or site name of the site from which the product information of the product can be obtained, and the URL or site name of the site to which the order information (order sheet) is sent.

"The first keyword information is similar to the second keyword information" means that the first keyword information and the second keyword information are similar.
The criteria for determining whether or not the keyword information is similar is arbitrary.
In the embodiment, it is determined whether or not the words are similar based on the similar word dictionary. For example, when the keyword information stored in the product information receiving device is “kitchen utensils” and the keyword information included in the product information is “dishwashing detergent”, a headword in the similar word dictionary of the product information receiving device is used. If "dishwashing detergent" is included in the keyword information similar to "kitchen utensil", the two are determined to be similar.

[0014] The invention according to claim 2 of the present invention is characterized in that the first product identifier which is the same as the first product identifier included in the order history of the product or the purchase history of the product further stored in the storage unit. A calculation unit for calculating the number of days from the last order date or purchase date of a product related to either the second product identifier or the second keyword information that is the same or similar to the first keyword information. And the order information generating unit is configured to determine whether the first product identifier and the second product identifier are the same or the first product identifier
If the keyword information is the same or similar to the second keyword information and if the number of days from the previous order date or purchase date to the present is equal to or more than a certain number of days,
2. The product information receiving device according to claim 1, wherein order information is automatically generated based on the product identifier and the receiver identifier.

In the conventional merchandise information receiving apparatus, when an order for a desired merchandise is completed or when a desired merchandise is purchased, the merchandise (completion-completed or purchased merchandise) is a list of the desired merchandise. Removed from Therefore, in order to order the same item again, the recipient had to create and send a new order form. However, for example, in daily life, some items of consumables are regularly used and consumed. As such, these products are purchased on a substantially regular basis. Such daily necessities include, for example, tissue, toilet paper, shampoo, soap,
Detergents, soy sauce, etc. For example, the act of purchasing goods, such as clothing, which has a strong taste and is generally purchased on an irregular basis is enjoyable for many people, but consumables such as tissues are poor in taste, and for many people, tissues, etc. Regular purchase of is just a tedious job.

In the product information receiving apparatus of the present invention, for a product to be automatically purchased on a regular basis, even if the order of the desired product is completed or the desired product is purchased, the product (the completed product) Or purchased items) are not removed from the list of items that the user wishes to purchase. The regular automatic purchase interval (“the fixed number of days” in the claims) is determined for products that are regularly purchased automatically, and after the regular automatic purchase interval has elapsed, Alternatively, when the product information of a similar product is received, the next order for the product is automatically generated and output.
When a product to be regularly purchased is ordered or purchased, the product is not ordered next time until the regular automatic purchase interval has elapsed.

Once a product to be automatically purchased on a regular basis is registered, the product is automatically and regularly ordered when the product information is obtained without newly inputting an order command for the product, and the product is continuously purchased. This frees the recipient from the labor of regularly purchasing boring daily consumables. In addition, the seller of the product can regularly and reliably obtain orders from customers. The present invention has the effect of realizing a product information receiving device for automatically and regularly ordering products without bothering the recipient.

The "product order history" means the past history of the same recipient ordering the product, and the "product purchase history" means the past history of the same recipient purchasing the product.

However, the optimal regular automatic purchase interval differs for each product for which periodic automatic purchase is performed. The invention according to claim 3 has an effect that it is possible to realize a product information receiving device capable of setting an optimum regular automatic purchase interval for each product.

In order to automatically purchase the same or similar products on a regular basis, it is preferable to order an optimum number of products determined by estimation. In general, when purchasing products regularly, it is often the case that a certain quantity is continuously purchased at certain intervals. Therefore, the present invention has an effect that it is possible to realize a product information receiving apparatus for ordering an optimum number of products by ordering the same number of products as the previous order quantity.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the product, the storage unit includes information of a predetermined number of days and an order destination of the product determined for each of the second product identifier or the second keyword information. The order history of the product or the purchase history of the product is stored, and based on the order history of the product or the purchase history of the product, the last order date of the product related to the second product identifier or the second keyword information or If the number of days from the previous purchase date to the present is equal to or more than the certain number of days, a request information generating unit that generates request information for sending product information is further provided, and the output unit transmits the request information to a previous order destination. The product information receiving device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the product information receiving device sends the product information to the product information receiving device.

In general, in a push-type providing method of product information, a receiver must wait forever until receiving desired product information. For example, in the case of automatically purchasing consumables on a regular basis, if the product information does not come indefinitely, the next order of the product cannot be made, so that obtaining the product becomes unstable.

According to the present invention, for example, in the case of periodically purchasing a product, the product information receiving apparatus automatically generates product information request information after a predetermined number of days has elapsed and sends it to the previous order destination. I do. By automatically requesting and acquiring merchandise information, the present invention has an effect of realizing a merchandise information receiving apparatus for automatically ordering and purchasing merchandise at regular intervals more accurately. In the present invention, the method of providing a push type product information partially includes
By taking in the ull-type providing method, a product information receiving device that automatically orders and purchases products at certain intervals more accurately is realized.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication unit for transmitting product information, a storage unit for storing an order history of an orderer or a product purchase history, and a fixed number of days determined for each product, Based on the order history of the orderer or the product purchase history, if the number of days from the date when the orderer last ordered or purchased the product to the present is equal to or more than the certain number of days related to the product ordered by the orderer. And a management unit that instructs the communication unit to transmit product information on the product ordered by the orderer or a product similar to the orderer to the orderer. .

[0025] The commodity information sending measure of the present invention is that, when an order is received from a certain orderer, the commodity information of the same or similar commodity is automatically transmitted after a lapse of a certain period from the date of order or purchase. Send to the orderer. In particular, consumables such as tissues are consumed at a constant pace in daily life, and therefore there is a high possibility that the same or similar products will be purchased at regular intervals. It is extremely convenient for the recipient to provide the commodity information of these daily consumables to the recipient at regular intervals. In addition, since most of these products have a poor taste, if the product information is provided at the time when the need arises, the recipient can order the product without comparing it with other similar products. The probability of doing it is also high. If the receiver finds it convenient to provide the product information on a regular basis, the possibility of purchasing the product is further increased.

The present invention has the effect of realizing a product information sending device that has a high possibility of obtaining many orders by providing product information. The “certain number of days” may be the number of days determined by the seller based on experience, statistics, etc., or the number of days prior to the same or similar product from the date of ordering or purchasing the same or similar product two times before for each orderer. The number of days may be determined based on a period between the order date or the purchase date.

[0027] The invention of claim 8 has an effect that by attaching the order quantity of the orderer to the merchandise information, it is possible to realize a merchandise information sending device that facilitates generation of the orderer's next order form.

[0028]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention; << Embodiment 1 >> FIG. 1 illustrates a product information sending device 11 and a product information receiving device 21 of an embodiment. [Description of Configuration of Commodity Information Transmission Device (FIG. 1)] The commodity information transmission device 11 includes a management unit 12, a storage unit 13, and a MODE.
M14. The management unit 12 is typically a computer. The storage unit 13 is typically a storage device combining a hard disk device and an optical disk device.

The storage unit 13 includes merchandise management data 131, a keyword list 132, recipient history information 133, and merchandise information 134. The merchandise management data 131, the keyword list 132, the recipient history information 133, and the merchandise information 134 are all databases (for example, a database constructed by access (registered trademark) of Microsoft Corporation) or the like. Sorting and the like can be performed in any order. Product management data 13
Reference numeral 1 denotes data such as a storage schedule, an order remaining, an inventory status, a payment status, and a shipping schedule for each product.

The keyword list 132 describes relevant keywords for each product corresponding to a headline. Relevant keywords include, for example, a product classification code and a product classification name (category name) that include the product,
The information includes a manufacturer name of the product, a manufacturer identifier (unique information assigned to each manufacturer), words (for example, “video”, “clean”, etc.) indicating characteristics of the product.
The recipient history information 133 also serves as a recipient list (including a customer list). The recipient history information 133 is detailed data such as a past product order history for each recipient, a current order reception status, a product shipping status, and a payment settlement status.

[Explanation of Recipient History List (FIG. 5)] FIG.
Illustrates a recipient history list generated from the recipient history information 133 (contents and display of the list change depending on a sorting method or the like). The following describes items described in each column of FIG. 5 which is the recipient history list of the paper company a. 501 is a recipient identifier, 502 is a recipient name, 503 is a product identifier,
504 is a product name, 505 is a product order reception date, 506 is a product delivery date, 507 is the presence or absence and date and time of payment, 508.
Is an indication of whether the recipient wants to input periodic information on the product, 509 is an indication of whether the recipient wants to automatically purchase the product on a regular basis, 5
Reference numeral 10 denotes a purchase interval when the receiver periodically and automatically purchases the product, 511 denotes the unit price of the product, 512 denotes the purchase amount, and 513 denotes the purchase amount (purchase amount = unit price × purchase amount).

If the receiver wants to send a certain kind of product information regularly, the display of 508 becomes YES, and if he does not want to send the product information regularly, 50 is displayed.
The display of 8 becomes NO. Similarly, if the recipient wishes to automatically purchase certain types of products on a regular basis, 50
If the display of No. 9 is YES, and if it is not desired to automatically purchase the commodity regularly, the display of 509 will be NO. If the recipient wants to automatically purchase a certain type of product on a regular basis, it is convenient to order the product information of the same product regularly. Therefore, if the customer automatically orders a product based on the product information, the product can be surely purchased.) In many cases, the user wants to periodically send product information of the same product. Further, for example, as in the case of selling catalogs of ordinary clothes and the like, there are cases where the receiver wants to periodically send certain types of product information, but does not want to automatically purchase those products.

The display on the first line in FIG. 5 will be described. Ichiro Yamada, the recipient of the recipient identifier 9485160173,
Tissue P, which is a product with a product identifier of 59643826215, was ordered on July 13, 2000 at 14:39:23. The ordered product is 9:03 on July 15, 2000
It is sent to Yamada Ichiro in 15 minutes. Payment has not been completed. The recipient wants to periodically send product information about the tissue P (the periodic information input 508 is “YES”), and the receiver updates the tissue P every three months (periodic automatic transmission). Purchase interval column 51
0) The user wants to purchase automatically on a regular basis (the regular automatic purchase column 509 is “YES”). The unit price of this product (tissue P) is 400 yen, the purchase quantity of Yamada Ichiro is 3, and the purchase price is 400 yen × 3 = 1200 yen.

In the second line of FIG. 5, the same recipient, Ichiro Yamada, puts a paper towel G, which is a product with a product identifier of 842359068 on 10 July 23, 2000.
The order was placed at 10:00:19, but the ordered product has not been shipped yet, and the price has not been settled.

Product management data 131 and recipient history information 1
33 is further linked by a database. Instead of the product management data 131 and the recipient history information 133, a single database that integrates both may be used. The product information 134 is information for each product. In the embodiment, the product information 134 is a set of information described in HTML for each product. In another embodiment, the product information is configured by a bitmap image. However, in this case, it is preferable that the unfinished order information is described in HTML. The product information 134 of each product has unfinished order information (order sheet) for each product. The product information 134 of each product includes a product name, a product identifier (“first product identifier” in claims), product specifications (shape, color, characteristics, price, etc.), keywords, and the like. The keyword information included in the product information 134 includes the keyword of the product searched from the keyword list 132, the product name of the product, the URL of the product information transmission device 11, and the like.

[Description of Configuration of Product Information Receiving Apparatus (FIG. 1)] The product information receiving apparatus 21 includes a command input unit 22, a central processing unit (CPU Central Processes).
sing Unit) 23, storage unit 24, image generation unit 2
5, and MODEM26. Command input unit 22, CP
U23, storage unit 24, image generation unit 25, and MODEM
Reference numerals 26 are connected to a bus line 27, respectively, so that data can be mutually exchanged. The display unit 28 is connected to the output terminal of the image generation unit 25 of the product information receiving device 21.

The MODEM 14 (product information sending device 1)
1) and MODEM 26 (product information receiving device 21)
Each is connected to the communication line 31 and can exchange data with each other. The CPU 23 includes a determination unit 231, a calculation unit 232, an automatic order information generation unit 233, and a request information generation unit 234. The determination unit 231, the operation unit 232, the automatic order information generation unit 233, and the request information generation unit 234 are executed by a software program.

The storage unit 24 includes a hard disk drive 24
1. A receiver identifier card input unit 242 is provided. The storage unit may be configured with another storage element (ROM, recording / reproducing optical disk device, etc.). In addition, the storage element of the embodiment is configured by two storage elements (the hard disk device 241 and the receiver identifier card input unit 242), but may be configured by one or three or more storage elements. The hard disk device 241 receives the received product information, product purchase history information including a history of purchase of the product by the product information receiving device (the content is exemplified in FIG. 2), and the receiver inputs the product information to the product information receiving device. A product identifier or keyword for initiating automatic purchase of a product and the like (included in the product information search list illustrated in FIG. 4), and an order for a product manually generated or automatically generated by a receiver. It includes a product order list, which is a list of books (the contents are illustrated in FIG. 3), and a similar word dictionary. These contents will be described in detail in the description of the operation of the product information receiving device.

The MODEM 26 has an output unit 261 and a receiving unit 262. The image generator 25 converts the video data transmitted from the CPU 23 into a bitmap image signal. The display unit 28 is an image display device such as a CRT display, a liquid crystal display device, and a plasma display, and displays a bitmap image signal generated by the image generation unit 25. The display unit 28 can include a speaker.

[Description of Operation of Commodity Information Transmitting Apparatus] The commodity information transmitting apparatus 11 will be described. The management unit 12 of the product information sending device 11 stores the product information 13 stored in the storage unit 13.
4 to select the product information to be sent to the receiver. Next, the management unit 12 selects a recipient of the product information destination based on the recipient history information 133 (also serving as a recipient list). The management unit 12 generates merchandise information described in HTML and addressed to each recipient, and sends the generated merchandise information to the MODEM 14. MODEM
Reference numeral 14 denotes each product information receiving device 21 through the communication line 31.
The product information is transmitted to.

[Explanation of Product Information] As described above, the product information includes a product name and a product identifier (“first item in claims”).
Product identifier ”), product specifications (shape, color, characteristics, price, etc.), keywords, and the like. The keyword includes the keyword of the product searched from the keyword list 132, the product name of the product, and the like. A schematic sample of product information described in HTML is described. In the following sample, the product identifier is 59643826215, and the product name is the product information of the tissue paper P.

<HTML><HEAD><TITLE> Product Information </ TITLE></HEAD><BODY><H1> Product Information </ H1><HR><TABLE><TR><TD> Product identifier </ TD><TD> 5966426215 </ TD></TR><TR><TD> Product name </ TD><TD> Tissue paper P </ TD></TR> The unit price is 400 yen, the manufacturer identifier is 628345129, the manufacturer name is a paper company, and the category identifier (product classification code) is 12489.
65285, product category name tissue, other keywords (double, software, etc.), seller identifier 628394
5129, seller name a, paper company, etc. are described (in this embodiment, since the manufacturer performs direct sales via the Internet, the manufacturer identifier, the manufacturer and the seller identifier, and the seller name are Are the same). </ TABLE></BODY></HTML>

An unfinished order form is attached to the product information. Unfinished purchase orders include a product identifier,
It contains the product name, the address to which the order is sent, etc., but does not describe the orderer's name, order quantity, etc.

[Description of Operation of Commodity Information Transmitting Apparatus] Next, the commodity information receiving apparatus 21 will be described. Product information receiving device 2
The receiving unit 262 of the first MODEM 26 receives the product information (including the unfinished order information). MODEM
26 (including incomplete order information)
Is sent to the CPU 23. The CPU 23 stores the product information (including the incomplete order information) in the hard disk device 241 of the storage unit 24.

In the other embodiments, the hard disk device 241 stores unfinished fixed product order information, and the product information does not include unfinished order information. The unfinished fixed product order information stored in the hard disk device 241 is similar to the unfinished order information included in the product information, except that the product identifier, the product name, and the like are not entered.

As described above, the hard disk drive 241
Is the product information received, the product purchase history information including the history of purchase of the product by the product information receiving device (the product purchase history list in FIG. 2 exemplifies the contents), and the receiver sends the product information to the product information receiving device. A product identifier or a keyword for activating automatic purchase of the input product, etc. (the product information search list in FIG. 4 exemplifies the content), and the content is manually generated or automatically generated by the receiver. It includes a product order list, which is a list of product order forms (the product order list in FIG. 3 exemplifies the contents), and a similar word dictionary. Each of these lists is a database (for example, a database constructed by Microsoft Access (registered trademark) or the like), and can sort, for example, arbitrary items in an arbitrary order. These lists are linked to each other by a database. One database for integrating these three databases may be constructed, and the three databases may be derived from one integrated database.

[Description of Product Purchase History List (FIG. 2)] The product purchase history list shown in FIG.
Is the history of the products purchased by the recipient (Ichiro Yamada in the embodiment) who owns the product. Items described in each column of the product purchase history list in FIG. 2 will be described. 201 is a category identifier, 202 is a category name, 203 is a product identifier, 2
04 is a product name, 205 is a display as to whether or not a periodic information input is desired, 206 is a display as to whether or not a periodic automatic purchase is desired, and 207 is a purchase interval of the product to be regularly and automatically purchased (at the time of purchase). And the time between the next purchase), 208
Is the purchase date and time, 209 is the unit price of the product, 210 is the purchase amount of the product, 211 is the purchase amount (purchase amount = unit price × purchase amount), 212 is the URL of the purchase site, and 213 is the name of the purchase site. In FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5, columns having the same name are the same items.

In the embodiment, the category identifier 201 is a unique 10-digit number determined for each product category, and the category name 202 is a product category name (classification name). The product category (classification) includes a large classification (for example, household goods), a medium classification (for example, paper products), and a small classification (for example, tissue). FIG. 2 shows the small classifications. Instead of the small classification, the large classification or the middle classification can be displayed in the list, and the large classification, the middle classification, and the small classification can all be displayed. In the embodiment, a so-called trade name is described as a small classification, and a trademark (for example, “Tissue P”) is described as a “trade name”. Instead,
It is also possible to describe a large or medium category in the category name and a so-called trade name in the trade name.

The display on the first line in FIG. 2 will be described. The category identifier is 1248596585, the category name is tissue, the product identifier is 5964382615, and the product name is tissue P. In the tissue P, the receiver wants to periodically input the product information of the product (the column 205 is YES), and the receiver wants to purchase the product regularly. (206 is YE
S. ). The interval for automatically and automatically purchasing the tissue P is March (column 207). Tissue P
Was purchased on July 15, 2000 at 10:51:23, and the unit price of the tissue P was 400 yen.
The purchase quantity is three pieces and the price is 1200 yen. The URL of the Internet that ordered the tissue P is http /
/: Www. paper. co. jp and the purchase site name is a paper company.

Regarding the transaction in which the recipient (Ichiro Yamada) purchased the tissue P, a product information sending device 11 of a paper company
Is displayed on the first line of the receiver history list (FIG. 5), and is displayed on the first line of the product purchase history list (FIG. 2) in the product information receiving device 21. Similarly,
Regarding the transaction in which the recipient purchased paper towel G, a
In the merchandise information transmitting apparatus 11 of the paper manufacturer, the information is displayed on the second line of the recipient history list (FIG. 5), and in the merchandise information receiving apparatus 21, 5 is displayed in the merchandise purchase history list (FIG. 2).
It is displayed on the line.

[Description of Product Information Search List (FIG. 4)] The product information search list shown in FIG.
Is a list of merchandise information for which the receiver (Ichiro Yamada in the embodiment) owning the merchandise currently desires to obtain merchandise information. Therefore, no order information (order sheet) has been sent for the items listed in FIG. Items described in each column of the product information search list in FIG. 4 will be described. 40
1 is a category identifier, 402 is a category name, 403 is a product identifier, 404 is a product name, 405 is a keyword, 40
6 is an indication of whether or not the user wants to input the periodic information, 407 is an indication of whether or not the user wants the automatic purchase regularly, 408 is a purchase interval of the product to be automatically purchased regularly, 809 is the previous purchase date and time, Reference numeral 410 denotes the planned purchase quantity of the product, 411 denotes the payment method, 412 denotes whether or not request information has been sent, 413 is the URL of the order site, and 414 is the name of the order site.

There are several reasons for wishing to obtain product information. The first case is when it is desired to acquire product information in order to automatically purchase the product on a regular basis (for example, the tissue P on the second line). The second case is when it is desired to acquire product information in order to automatically purchase a product only once (for example, an umbrella in the first line). Third, it is unclear whether or not to purchase a product, but the user wants to obtain the product information periodically and view the product information. Fourth, it is unknown whether or not to purchase a product, but the user wants to obtain the product information only once and want to see the product information (for example, pants on the fifth line).

The display on the first line in FIG. 4 will be described. If the receiver wants to purchase an umbrella, but does not want to spend time and effort to consider which umbrella to purchase, in the product information receiving apparatus 21 of the embodiment, the receiver is automatically An umbrella can be purchased by the purchase function. When the recipient inputs the command to the command input unit 21, the product information receiving device 21 outputs one product having the category name of umbrella and the keyword of male x black x folding umbrella x 3000 yen or less by e-umbrella Co., Ltd. (Order site URL section 413) http: // www. umbrell
a. co. jp (order site name field 414) is set to automatically purchase (first line in FIG. 4).

The recipient does not want to input regular product information because he / she is going to purchase an umbrella only once (the regular information input field 406 shows NO). In addition, the recipient is going to automatically purchase the product (umbrella) only once, and YES is described in the periodic automatic purchase column 407, and “only once” is described in the periodic automatic purchase interval column 408. Have been. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the purchase only once or the purchase repeated periodically is performed in a periodical automatic purchase column 407.
Is displayed with YES. The one-time purchase may be displayed in a separate column different from the periodic automatic purchase column 407.

In the embodiment, a product is usually specified by a product identifier which is a ten-digit number. In the automatic purchase of the umbrella in FIG. 4, since the receiver cannot specify the product to be purchased by the product identifier, the receiver specifies the product by various information. Such information for specifying a product other than the product identifier corresponds to the second keyword information in the claims. In the above example, category name 4
02, the keyword 405 “male × black × folding umbrella × 3000 yen or less”, and the URL http: // www. umbrel
la. co. When the product information of the product specified by jp and e-umbrella corporation in the order site name column 414 is obtained, the product is automatically ordered. Therefore, all of the above information corresponds to the second keyword information in the claims.

The second keyword information can include AND logic (logical product) and OR logic (logical sum). “×” in the keyword column 405 means AND logic, and “+” means OR logic. In the above example, the determination unit 231 determines that the keyword information included in the product information received by the reception unit 262 is the same or similar to the keyword information in the first row of FIG. Then, the order information automatic generation unit 233 automatically generates the order information of the product of the product information,
62 automatically outputs the order information.

That is, the product information received by the receiving unit 262 is “umbrella”, “for men”, “black”, “folding umbrella”, “3”
000 yen or less "," http: //www.umbre
lla. co. If keywords having the same or similar keywords as the keywords “jp” and “e-umbrella corporation” are AND logic (if they have all keywords), the product of the product information is automatically ordered. http which is URL of e umbrella corporation
p: // www. umbrella. co. If the product information of the folding umbrella of 3,000 yen or less is received in black for men who are the ordering site for men, 1
The order information of the folding umbrellas is automatically generated and sent to the URL included in the product information.

If the keyword included in the received product information is not the same as the keyword set by the receiver but is similar, the product of the product information is automatically ordered in the same manner. The method of determining that the keywords are similar is arbitrary, but in the embodiment, the product information receiving device 2
1 has a similar word dictionary in the hard disk device 241, and the determining unit 231 determines whether the keyword included in the received product information using the similar word dictionary is similar to the keyword set by the receiver. I do.

For example, it is assumed that "two-fold umbrella" and "three-fold umbrella" are registered in the similar word dictionary as similar words of the headword "fold umbrella". Similarly, it is assumed that “rain gear” is registered as a similar word to the headword “umbrella”. If the product information contains "fold umbrella" or "3
If any one of the “fold umbrella” is included, the determination unit 2
31 is a keyword "folding umbrella" set by the recipient
It is determined that the product information includes a keyword similar to.
In addition, if “rain gear” is included in the product information, the determination unit 23
1 judges that the product information includes a keyword similar to the keyword “umbrella” set by the recipient. Judgment unit 23
The order information automatic generation unit 233 automatically generates an order form for the product of the product information on condition that 1 determines that the other keywords are the same or similar. Output unit 261
Automatically outputs the order information.

The display on the second line in FIG. 4 will be described. When the receiver inputs the command to the command input unit 21, the product information receiving apparatus 21 uses the product identifier 59643826215 (product identifier column 403) and the product name tissue P (product name column 404).
A product of a paper company (order site name column 4
14) homepage http: // page
r. co. jp (order site URL field 413), every three months (periodic automatic purchase interval field 408), to automatically purchase regularly (YES is displayed in the periodic automatic information input field 406 and the periodic automatic purchase field 407). .) (Second line in FIG. 4). Regarding the tissue P on the second line in FIG. 4, since the user has purchased the tissue in the past, the receiver can specify the product name and the product identifier of the tissue P that is the product to be purchased.

Assume that the determination unit 231 determines that the product identifier included in the product information received by the reception unit 262 is the same as the product identifier 59643826215 included in the above-described product information search list. The calculation unit 232 stores the date of the last purchase (the last purchase time column 409) on July 15, 2000.
Period from 0:51:23 to the present (interval)
Is calculated. If the period from the last purchase to the present is longer than the regular automatic purchase interval of three months (the regular automatic purchase interval column 409), the order information automatic generation unit 233 generates an order form (order information) for three tissues P. Is automatically generated. The output unit 261 automatically outputs the order information. If the period from the previous purchase to the present is shorter than the regular automatic purchase interval of three months (regular automatic purchase interval column 409), the order information automatic generation unit 233 generates an order form (order information) for the three tissues P. And the output unit 261 does not output the order information.

As shown in “trousers” on the fifth line in FIG. 4, product information having the same or similar keyword information as the keyword information set by the receiver is searched, but the order information is not automatically generated. It can also be set (NO is displayed in the periodic automatic purchase column 407). With such a setting, the receiver can determine whether to buy or not to buy the product of the product information after looking at the product information.

The determining unit 231 determines that the keyword information included in the product information received by the receiving unit 262 is the same or similar to the keyword information of the product information search list (FIG. 4) stored in the hard disk drive 241. If it is determined, the CPU 23 transmits a character signal “The desired product information has been obtained.” To the image generation unit 25 together with the character signal of the file name of the product information,
The image generation unit 25 converts the character signal into a bitmap video signal and outputs it. The display unit 28 displays the bitmap video signal. As a result, the receiver can know that the desired product information has been obtained.
By writing YES in the regular information input column 406 and writing NO in the regular automatic purchase column 407, for example, it is possible to obtain merchandise information every month and determine whether or not to actually purchase the merchandise. .

The display on the fourth line in FIG. 4 will be described. When the recipient inputs to the command input unit 21, the merchandise information receiving apparatus 21 outputs one merchandise whose category name is undershirt and whose keyword is (U neck + round neck) × short sleeve × men's × M size. It is set to purchase automatically. Since the recipient is planning to purchase the undershirt only once, he does not want to periodically input the product information (the periodic information input field 406 shows NO). Also, the recipient is going to automatically purchase the product (undershirt) only once, and YES is described in the periodic automatic purchase column 407, and "one time only" is displayed in the periodic automatic purchase interval column 408. Has been described.

In the automatic purchase of the undershirt on the fourth line in FIG. 4, since the receiver cannot specify the product to be purchased by the product identifier, the receiver specifies the product by various information. In the above example, the determining unit 231 determines that the product information received by the receiving unit 262 is “(U-neck + round-neck) × short-sleeved × male × M size” in which the product information received by the receiving unit 262 is the category name 402 and the keyword 405. Is determined, the order information automatic generation unit 233 automatically generates an order form (order information) for the product, and the output unit 261 outputs the order information. Therefore, “under shirt” and “(U neck + round neck) × short sleeve × male × M size” correspond to the second keyword information in the claims.

In the above example, the determination unit 231 determines that the product information received by the receiving unit 262 is “undershirt”,
"Either U-neck or round neck (" U-neck "and" round neck "are O
R logic. )), “Short sleeve”, “for men”, and “M size”, if it is determined that all the keywords are the same or similar (by AND logic), the order information automatic generation unit 233 determines The order form (order information) is automatically generated, and the output unit 261 automatically outputs the order information. Therefore, if the product information of a short-sleeved men's M-size undershirt is received at either the U-neck or the round neck, order information for one undershirt is automatically generated and sent to the URL included in the product information. Is done.

When the keyword included in the product information received by the receiving unit 262 is not the same as the keyword set by the recipient but is similar, the product of the product information is automatically ordered in the same manner. For example, it is assumed that “170 cm tall” is registered as a similar word of the headword “M size” in the similar word dictionary. Even if the product information does not include the keyword "M size", if the keyword "for height 170 cm" is included, the determination unit 231 sets the receiver by referring to the similar word dictionary. It is determined that a keyword similar to the “M size” of the specified keyword is included in the product information. If the determining unit 231 determines that the other keywords included in the product information are also the same or similar to the keyword set by the receiver, the order information automatic generation unit 233 generates an order form (order) for the product of the product information. ), And the output unit 261 automatically outputs the order information.

The tissue P is automatically purchased periodically at intervals of three months (interval). In the product information receiving apparatus 21 of the embodiment, when the product information of the tissue P is obtained, the order information of the tissue P is generated, output, and purchased (the previous order is July 1, 2000, 1
0:51:23), the line of the tissue P is deleted from the product order list (FIG. 3), and the purchase history of the tissue P is written in the product purchase history list (FIG. 2).
The row of the tissue P is listed in the product information search list shown in FIG. However, the next order information is not generated until three months have passed since the last purchase.

In the embodiment, when the product information of the tissue P that meets the conditions described in the second line of FIG. 4 is received after the lapse of three months from the previous purchase, the product (tissue P) of the product information is received. Order information is generated and output.
If the order information has been output and the product has not been obtained,
The order information is posted on the product order list in FIG. 3 and managed. At the same time that the order information is posted on the product order list in FIG. 3, the line of the tissue P is deleted from the product information search list in FIG. In the case of an order only once, when the product related to the order information is received, one of the product purchases is described in the product purchase history list of FIG. 2, and at the same time, the order information is obtained from the product order list of FIG. Deleted. However, if it is an order to purchase automatically at regular intervals at regular intervals, if you receive the product related to the order information,
One product purchase is described in the product purchase history list (FIG. 2) and the product information search list (FIG. 4), and the order information is deleted from the product order list in FIG.

The receipt of the product may be manually input by the recipient, but is incorrect. In the embodiment, the management unit 12 of the product information sending device 11 is a MODEM 14,
26, the CPU 23 of the product information receiving apparatus 21 is notified that the delivery of the product has been completed. When the management unit 12 instructs the shipment of the product, the product is mounted on a delivery vehicle at a product collection and distribution center (not shown) and delivered. Check with barcode. The barcode reader is connected to the management unit 12 via a network. Thereby, the management unit 12 can know that the product has been delivered. Therefore,
After midnight 12 of that day, the management unit 12
It notifies the CPU 23 of the product information receiving device 21 that the delivery of the product has been completed via 4 and 26. Thereby, the product information receiving device 21 can have an accurate product purchase history list (FIG. 2). In FIG. 4, the request information column 412 displays NO because three months have not passed since the last purchase of the tissue P.

The shampoo W on the third line (product identifier 142)
8563977) is 200
From 13:19:40 on May 10, 2000 to the present, a period that exceeds the regular automatic purchase interval of February (the periodic automatic purchase interval column 408) has elapsed. After a lapse of two months from the previous purchase, the product identifier 142856773
It is possible to wait until the product information whose product name is shampoo W arrives, but in the embodiment, the request information generation unit 2
34 generates request information for requesting transmission of product information. The output unit 261 sends the request information to the URL of the order site.
(Http: //www.shampoo.co.j
Output to p). This prevents the shampoo W from being obtained significantly later than the interval (February) set by the receiver.

In the embodiment, the request information is a request for product information described in HTML. The hard disk device 241 stores standard incomplete request information, and for each individual product information, a product identifier, a product name, a recipient identifier, a recipient name, a recipient address, and a request form. The request information can be completed by writing the destination (the order site URL field 413) of (1).
For one product information receiving device, the receiver identifier, the receiver name, and the receiver address are generally fixed. ). The request information generation unit 234 reads the product identifier, the product name, and the destination of the request from the product information search list in FIG.
Write to request information.

The request information generation unit 234 includes management software for the Internet stored in the hard disk device 241 (for example, Internet Exp by Microsoft Corporation).
The address (e-mail address) of the recipient is read from a file managed by the L.R. The request information generation unit 234 reads the recipient identifier and the recipient name from the recipient identifier card inserted therein through the recipient identifier card input unit 242, and writes the information into the request information. As described above, by having such standard unfinished request information, the request information generation unit 234 can easily generate individual request information. A schematic example of the request information is shown below.

<HTML><HEAD><TITLE> Product information request </ TITLE></HEAD><BODY><H1> Product information request </ H1><HR><P><TABLE><TR><TD>Requester's recipient code </ TD><NAME
= “94885160173 (receiver identifier)”><// T
R><TR><TD>Requester's name </ TD><NAME = "Ichiro Yamada (recipient name)"></TR><TR><TD>Requester's email address </ TD><NAM
E = “address display (recipient address)”><// TR
><TR><TD> Product identifier of product for which product information is desired </ T
D><NAME = “142856977 (product identifier)”></TR><TR><TD> Product name of product for which product information is desired </ TD>
<NAME = "Shampoo W (product name)"></TR></TABLE><TR><TD> Address to which request is sent </ TD><NAM
E = “http://www.shampoo.co.
jp (URL of order site) "></TR></BODY></HTML>

Product information sending device 11 which is an order site
Is in accordance with a command from the management unit 12 or the product information receiving device 2
The merchandise information is sent to the merchandise information receiving device 21 in accordance with the request information sent from 1. In the product information receiving device 21, the command input unit 2 looks at the product information received by the receiver.
2, the order information is generated manually, and the output unit 261 outputs the order information in accordance with a command input by the receiver through the command input unit 22. Alternatively, the determination unit 231 determines that the product identifier included in the received product information and the product identifier stored in the hard disk device 241 are the same, or the keyword information included in the received product information and the keyword information stored in the hard disk device 241 Are determined to be the same or similar, the order information automatic generation unit 233 automatically generates the order information, and the output unit 261 outputs the order information.

In the embodiment, the order information is an order form described in HTML. As described above, standard unfinished order information is attached to the product information, and the unfinished order information is a description that the product is a purchase order, a product identifier, a product name, a unit price, and an amount calculation. The formula (calculated by the formula of amount = unit price × order quantity), the order form sending address (order site URL column 313), the order form sending address name (order site name column 314), etc. have already been entered. .
Therefore, in the product information receiving device 21, the order information is completed by writing the recipient identifier, the recipient name, the recipient address, the order quantity, the payment method of the price, etc. for each individual product information. I can do it.

For one product information receiving apparatus, the receiver identifier, the receiver name, and the receiver's address are generally fixed. Therefore, generally, only the same contents are described except for the number of orders, etc. Order information) can be completed. The order information automaticity generation unit 233 includes management software for the Internet stored in the hard disk device 241 (for example, Internet Ex by Microsoft Corporation).
The address of the receiver is read from a file managed by the filer (register (registered trademark)), and the address of the receiver is written in the order information.

The order information automaticity generating section 233 reads the receiver identifier and the receiver name from the receiver identifier card inserted therein through the receiver identifier card input section 242, and adds the receiver identifier and the receiver name to the order information. Write the recipient name. The order information automaticity generation unit 233 reads the quantity in the purchase quantity column 410 and the payment method in the payment method column 411 of the commodity information search list in FIG. 4 (stored in the hard disk device 241), and Fill out the order quantity and payment method fields on the order form.

[0095] For the product set to be automatically purchased periodically, the same quantity as the previous purchase quantity is described in the order quantity unless the receiver changes the order quantity. Preferably, whether or not the recipient is set to automatically purchase the product on a regular basis, and if the product is set to be purchased automatically on a regular basis, a period of a regular automatic purchase interval, Is described in the order information. These pieces of information are not useful for the order information itself, but are convenient for the next and subsequent orders as described later (FIG. 9). The contents of the order information of the paper towel G described in the second line of the commodity order list in FIG. 3 are schematically shown below.

<HTML><HEAD><TITLE> Product Order Form </ TITLE></HEAD><SCRIPT LANGUAGE = VBscript
> MsgBox "Do you want to order?", VbYesNo </ SCRIPT><BODY><H1> Order Form for Product </ H1><HR><TABLE><TR><TD> Name of Orderer </ TD>< INPUT TY
PE = TEXT SIZE = 30 MAX SIZE = 3
0 NAME = “Ichiro Yamada”></TR> Describes input of other input items (recipient identifier, e-mail address of orderer, order quantity (two pieces) of goods, etc.). The payment method or the like selected in the select format is described. </ TABLE><P><TABLE><TR><TD> Product Identifier </ TD><TD> 8423590688 </ TD></TR><TR><TD> Product Name </ TD><TD> Paper Towel G </ TD></TR> The main specifications, unit prices, etc. of the product are similarly displayed in a table format. </ TABLE> The amount (= unit price × order quantity) is automatically calculated and displayed. <A HREF = "http://www.page
r. co. jp "> a Paper Co., Ltd. </A></BODY></HTML>

The automatic order information generating section 233 automatically generates order information and sends the completed order information to the output section 261 via the bus line 27. The output unit 261 sends the order information to the MODEM 14 through the communication line 31,
The MODEM 14 transmits the received order information to the management unit 12.

[Continuation of Description of Commodity Information Transmission Apparatus 11 (FIG. 1)] The management section 12 stores the commodity management data 13 in the storage section 13.
1 to check whether it is possible to sell the ordered product (paper towel G in the above example),
If possible, information that the order information has been received is sent to the product information receiving device 21 through the MODEM 14.
In addition, the management unit 12 writes, in the product management data 131, a delivery schedule of the product, for example, two days after the date when the order information is received. The management unit 12 also describes that the order information is present in the recipient history information 133.

Two days later, the management unit 12 stores the product management data 1
31 to read that it is the date of delivery of the product,
Instruct shipping of goods. The product information sending device 11 forms a part of a product delivery system, and the product (paper towel G in the above example) is delivered according to an instruction from the management unit 12. At a merchandise collection and delivery center (not shown), a delivery clerk checks the merchandise with a barcode when delivering the merchandise. The barcode reader is connected to the management unit 12 via a network. Thereby, the management unit 12 can know that the product has been delivered. When the goods are delivered, the management unit 1
No. 2 describes that the product has been delivered to the product management data 131 and the recipient history information 133. In addition, the management unit 12
Information indicating that the product has been delivered is sent to the CPU 23 through the ODEMs 14 and 26.

Note that the price of the product is withdrawn from the recipient's bank account on the 15th of the following month. For example, if the recipient has selected the payment method of once-a-month payment, the transaction of the product is completed.

[Continuation of Description of Commodity Information Receiving Apparatus 21 (FIG. 1)] Upon receiving the information that the commodity has been delivered, the CPU 23 deletes the line of the commodity from the commodity order list (FIG. 3), and Is described in the product purchase history information (FIG. 2). If the product is set to be automatically purchased on a regular basis, the purchase of the product is further written in a product information search list (FIG. 4). However, the order information is not generated until the number of days equal to or more than the number of days described in the regular automatic purchase interval column 207 (FIG. 2) has elapsed from the date on which the product was purchased. After the order information is output, data about the order information is written in the product order list (FIG. 3) until information indicating that the product has been delivered is received.

[Description of Commodity Order List (FIG. 3)] The commodity order list of FIG. 3 is a list of commodities currently ordered by the receiver (in the embodiment, Ichiro Yamada) who owns the commodity information receiving apparatus 21. Yes (we have not received the product yet). The items described in each column of the commodity order list in FIG. 3 will be described. 301 is a category identifier, 302 is a category name,
Reference numeral 303 denotes a product identifier; 304, a product name; 305, a display as to whether or not a periodic information input is desired; 306, a display as to whether or not a periodic automatic purchase is desired; Purchase interval, 308 is the order date and time, 3
09 is the unit price of the product, 310 is the order quantity of the product, 311 is the order amount (order amount = unit price × order quantity), 312 is the payment method, 313 is the URL of the order site, and 314 is the name of the order site.

The display on the first line in FIG. 3 will be described. The category identifier is 9926100511, the category name is CD player, the product identifier is 101284320, and the product name is CD player F. The CD player F,
The recipient does not want to periodically input the product information of the product (the periodic information input field 305 is NO), and the receiver does not regularly want to purchase the product ( The regular automatic purchase column 306 is NO.). Therefore, the interval for automatically purchasing the CD player F periodically is not described. The date and time when you ordered CD Player F is 20
17:41:23 on July 26, 2000, and the C
The unit price of D player F is 15,000 yen, the order quantity is one piece, and the price is 15,000 yen. The URL of the Internet from which the CD player F was ordered is http: // www. el
ectric. co. jp and the purchase site name is h
Electric Co., Ltd.

The transaction in which the recipient (Ichiro Yamada) purchased two paper towels G is displayed on the second line of the recipient history list (FIG. 5) in the merchandise information transmitting device 11, and the merchandise information receiving device 21 Is displayed on the fifth line of the product purchase history list (FIG. 2). In the conventional product information receiving device, when the ordered product is delivered, the transaction ends, the product is deleted from the order list, and no processing is performed on the product afterwards. In the product information receiving device of the embodiment, after the product is delivered and the product is deleted from the order list, the product for which the automatic purchase of the product is periodically requested is delivered. Also, information on the product is maintained in the product information search list (FIG. 4).

In FIG. 2, the receiver automatically ordered the paper towel G and obtained it at 14:28:39 on June 30, 2000. The paper towel G was placed on the second line of the commodity order list (FIG. 3). It has been described again. The recipient desires to purchase the paper towel G every 20 days (the periodic automatic purchase column 206 in FIG. 2 is YES, and the periodic automatic purchase interval column 207 is 20 days).
Therefore, immediately after purchasing the paper towel G on June 30, 2000, the paper towel G was described in the product information search list (FIG. 4). Twenty days later, the order information automatic generation unit 233 automatically again generates order information of the same number (two) of the same product (paper towel G) as the previous order, and the output unit 261 outputs The order information was output. When the order information was output, the paper towel G was deleted from the product information search list (FIG. 4), and the paper towel G was described on the second line of the product order list (FIG. 3).

The transaction in which the recipient (Ichiro Yamada) purchased the tissue P is displayed on the first line of the recipient history list (FIG. 5) in the merchandise information transmitting device 11 and is displayed in the merchandise information receiving device 21. It is displayed on the first line of the product purchase history list (FIG. 2).

In the conventional merchandise information receiving apparatus, when the ordered merchandise is delivered, the transaction ends and the merchandise is deleted from the order list. Even if a product for which automatic purchase is desired is delivered and the product is deleted from the order list, information on the product is maintained in the product information search list (FIG. 4). For example, in FIG. 2, the receiver automatically orders tissue P, and
The tissue P is obtained at 0:51:23, but is listed on the second line of the product information search list (FIG. 4).

The recipient (Ichiro Yamada) wants to purchase the tissue P every three months (the periodical automatic purchase field 206 is set to YES). After purchasing P, it is planned to purchase tissue P on October 15, 2000. Therefore, the tissue is not deleted from the list of product purchase schedules of the product information receiving device 21. However, since it is not necessary to purchase a new tissue for three months after purchasing the tissue P on July 15, 2000, it is not described in the product order list (FIG. 3) and the product information search list (FIG. 3). This is described in the second line of FIG. 4).

In the embodiment, when the period from the previous purchase date to the present time is longer than the period described in the periodic automatic purchase interval column 408, the request information generation unit 2
34 generates request information of the product information. In another embodiment, all of the received product information is stored in the hard disk device 241 of the storage unit 24, and the period from the previous purchase date to the present is set to the periodical automatic purchase interval column 408.
When the time period becomes longer than the period described in, the product information having the same or similar keyword information as the set keyword information is searched and read from the hard disk device 241, and the order information automatic generation unit 233 automatically generates the order information. Then, the output unit 261 automatically outputs the order information. The merchandise information receiving apparatus of the other embodiment is useful when ordering merchandise that is always sold, but the method of the embodiment is superior when there are times when the product is sold and times when it is not sold.

In the embodiment, it is determined whether the period from the previous purchase date and time to the present is longer than the period described in the periodic automatic purchase interval column 408. In other embodiments, the previous order date and time are determined. It is determined whether the period from to is longer than the period described in the periodic automatic purchase interval column 408. both are fine.

[Explanation of Automatic Product Purchase (FIG. 6)] FIG.
9 shows a flowchart of a method for automatically generating order information in the product information receiving method of the embodiment. First, the receiving unit 262
Receives the product information (step 601). Next, the determination unit 231 generates a first product identifier that is a product identifier included in the product information and a second product identifier that is a product identifier included in the product information receiving apparatus (the receiver automatically generates order information. (The product identifier of the product desired to be changed) is checked. If the first product identifier and the second
If the product identifier is the same, the process proceeds to step 604.
If the first product identifier and the second product identifier are not the same, the process proceeds to step 603.

At step 603, the judgment unit 231
Is the first keyword information that is the keyword information included in the product information, and the second keyword information that is the keyword information of the product information receiving device (the product information for which the receiver automatically generates order information is selected. It is checked whether or not (condition) is the same or similar. If the first keyword information and the second keyword information are the same or similar, the process proceeds to step 604. If the first keyword information and the second keyword information are not the same, the process ends (does nothing). In step 604 (the received merchandise information is merchandise information for which the receiver wishes to automatically generate order information), the order information automatic generation unit 233 outputs the merchandise order information of the received merchandise information. Generate automatically. Next, the output unit 261 automatically outputs the generated order information of the product (step 605). This completes the processing.

[Description of Automatic Purchase of Another Product (FIG. 7)] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method of automatically generating other order information in the product information receiving method of the embodiment (a product for which automatic purchase is periodically performed). This is a method for generating order information.) First, the receiving unit 262 receives the product information (Step 70).
1). Next, the determination unit 231 generates a first product identifier, which is a product identifier included in the product information, and a second product identifier, which is a product identifier included in the product information receiving apparatus (the receiver automatically generates order information. (The product identifier of the product desired to be changed) is checked. If the first product identifier and the second product identifier are the same, the process proceeds to step 704. If the first product identifier and the second product identifier are not the same, the process proceeds to step 703.

In step 703, the discriminating unit 231
Is the first keyword information that is the keyword information included in the product information, and the second keyword information that is the keyword information of the product information receiving device (the product information for which the receiver automatically generates order information is selected. It is checked whether or not (condition) is the same or similar. If the first keyword information and the second keyword information are the same or similar, the process proceeds to step 704. If the first keyword information and the second keyword information are not the same, the process ends (does nothing).

In step 704, the arithmetic unit 232
A value is calculated by subtracting the previous purchase date and time from the current date and time. The order information automatic generation unit 233 checks whether or not the value is equal to or longer than the interval at which automatic purchase is periodically performed or not. If the value obtained by subtracting the previous purchase date and time from the current date and time is equal to or longer than the interval for periodically performing automatic purchase, step 705 is performed.
Proceed to. If the value obtained by subtracting the previous purchase date and time from the current date and time is shorter than the regular automatic purchase interval (neither the same nor longer), the processing is terminated (nothing is performed). In step 705, (the received product information is product information for which the receiver wishes to automatically generate order information, and a period longer than the set interval from the previous purchase date and time to the present has elapsed. .), The order information automatic generation unit 233 automatically generates the order information of the product of the received product information. next,
The output unit 261 automatically outputs the generated order information of the product (Step 705). This completes the processing.

The above-described flowchart of FIG. 7 automatically generates order information at regular regular intervals, in particular.
This is executed in the output process. As shown in FIG.
The process of automatically generating and outputting order information at regular regular intervals is started when product information including the same product identifier as the product identifier of the product desired to be purchased is received. It is also activated when product information including the same or similar keyword information as the keyword information of a desired product is received.

[Description of Automatic Transmission of Product Information Request Information (FIG. 8)] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method of automatically generating request information for requesting transmission of product information in the product information receiving method of the embodiment (periodic). This is a method for automatically generating request information of product information on a product to be automatically purchased.) First, products that are automatically purchased regularly are extracted (step 801). Next, the calculation unit 232 calculates a value obtained by subtracting the previous purchase date and time from the current date and time. The request information generation unit 234 checks whether or not the value is equal to or longer than the interval for performing automatic purchase periodically (step 802). If the value obtained by subtracting the previous purchase date and time from the current date and time is equal to or longer than the interval for periodically performing automatic purchase, step 803 is executed.
Proceed to. If the value obtained by subtracting the previous purchase date and time from the current date and time is shorter than the regular automatic purchase interval (neither the same nor longer), the processing is terminated (nothing is performed).

In step 803 (the period longer than the set interval from the previous purchase date and time to the present has elapsed), the request information generation unit 234 automatically generates the request information of the product information on the product to be ordered. Generated. Next, the output unit 261 automatically outputs the generated request information (Step 804). This completes the processing.

[Description of Automatic Transmission of Merchandise Information in Merchandise Information Transmitting Apparatus (FIG. 9)] FIG. 9 shows a flowchart of a merchandise information transmitting method according to the embodiment. This is an automatic transmission method of the product information related to the product set in the above.) First management unit 1
2 extracts, from the merchandise management data, merchandise that is automatically purchased on a regular basis for each recipient (step 901). Here, it is necessary that the management unit 12 obtains information on products that are automatically purchased on a regular basis for each recipient and information on a regular automatic purchase interval from each product information receiving device.

Next, the management unit 12 calculates a value obtained by subtracting the previous purchase date and time from the current date and time for each product information receiving device set to perform automatic purchase. Management unit 12
Checks whether the value is the same as or longer than the interval for automatic purchase periodically (step 902). If the value obtained by subtracting the previous purchase date and time from the current date and time is equal to or longer than the interval for performing the automatic purchase periodically, the process proceeds to step 903. If the value obtained by subtracting the previous purchase date and time from the current date and time is shorter than the regular automatic purchase interval (neither the same nor longer), the processing is terminated (nothing is performed).

At step 903 (the period longer than the interval set from the previous purchase date and time to the present has elapsed), the management unit 12 sends the product information of the product to be automatically ordered to the product information receiving device. Generate information automatically. Next, the management unit 12 sets the MODEM1
4 and outputs the generated product information to the receiving unit 262 of the product information receiving apparatus (step 9).
04). This completes the processing.

In the method of searching for product information of a product to be ordered automatically in the product information receiving device, the management unit 12 uses the product identifier of the product to be automatically ordered based on the information obtained from the product information receiving device. The search is performed by searching for product information having the same product identifier as the product information, or searching for product information having the same or similar keyword information as the keyword information regarding the product for which an automatic order is to be placed. Preferably, the unfinished order information attached to the product information describes the same quantity as the order quantity of the product previously ordered automatically by the destination product information receiving device. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the management unit 12 calculates a value obtained by subtracting the previous purchase date and time from the current date and time for each product information receiving device set to perform automatic purchase.
In another embodiment, a value obtained by subtracting the previous order date and time from the current date and time is calculated instead. either will do.

In this embodiment, the merchandise information is sent to the receiver through the communication line, and the order information of the merchandise is obtained from the receiver through the same communication line, for example. Instead, the product information may be sent to the receiver by terrestrial broadcast or satellite broadcast. In this case, it is preferable to attach, to the product information, the receiver identifier of each recipient who intends to send the product information as additional information. Each product information receiving device has a receiver identifier card input unit 2 into which a receiver identifier card is inserted.
The merchandise information to which the same receiver identifier as the receiver identifier read from 42 is attached as additional information is selected and received, and is recorded in an internal recording device (for example, a hard disk device). In other respects, the same operations and effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be achieved by a product information sending device, a product information receiving device, and the like having the same configuration as that of the present embodiment. In this case, typically, the output unit and the receiving unit of the product information transmitting device and the product information receiving device are the same MO.
They do not exist in the DEM but become separate units.

In still another embodiment, the output section of the product information receiving device is a printer, and outputs the order information by printing. By mailing the printed order information, the recipient can obtain the product desired by the recipient. Other points are the same as those in the above embodiment.

The recording medium storing the software program for the method for transmitting product information or the method for receiving product information of the present invention described above can be transferred to a product information transmitting device or a product information receiving device (or a computer having appropriate peripheral units) or the like. By loading the installed and recorded software program into the product information sending device or the product information receiving device (or a computer equipped with an appropriate peripheral unit), the product information sending method or the product information receiving method of the present invention is performed. The method can be implemented.

[0110]

According to the present invention, a receiver (a person who operates a product information receiving device) automatically selects desired product information from product information to be sent, and automatically generates order information. In addition, there is an advantageous effect that a product information receiving device that sends generated order information can be realized. The recipient
The desired product can be obtained without manually acquiring the desired product information by a browser search or the like, and without manually creating and sending an order form.

According to the present invention, there is obtained an advantageous effect that a product information receiving apparatus for automatically and regularly ordering products can be realized without bothering the receiver. This frees the recipient from the labor of regularly purchasing boring daily consumables. In addition, the seller of the product can regularly and reliably obtain orders from customers.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is obtained an advantageous effect that a product information receiving apparatus capable of setting an optimum regular automatic purchase interval for each product can be realized.

According to the present invention, there is obtained an advantageous effect that a product information receiving apparatus for ordering an optimum number of products by ordering the same number of products as the previous order quantity can be realized.

According to the present invention, for example, in the case of periodically purchasing a product, the product information receiving apparatus automatically generates product information request information after a predetermined number of days has elapsed, and Send it. Thereby, the product information can be automatically obtained. According to the present invention, there is obtained an advantageous effect that a product information receiving apparatus for automatically ordering and purchasing a product at a certain interval more accurately can be realized.

According to the present invention, there is obtained an advantageous effect that a product information transmitting apparatus having a high probability of obtaining an order by providing product information can be realized. According to the invention of claim 8,
By attaching the order quantity of the orderer to the product information, an advantageous effect of realizing a product information sending device that facilitates generation of the orderer's next order form is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a product information sending device and a product information receiving device of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a product purchase history list of the product information receiving device of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a product order list of the product information receiving device of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a product information search list of the product information receiving device of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a list of recipient history information of the product information sending device of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a product information receiving method according to the embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a product information receiving method according to another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for sending request information for product information according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a product information sending method according to the embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Commodity information sending device 12 Management unit 13 Storage unit 131 Commodity management data 132 Keyword list 133 Recipient history information 134 Commodity information 14 MODEM 21 Commodity information receiving unit 22 Command input unit 23 CPU 231 Judgment unit 232 Operation unit 233 Order information automatic generation Unit 234 request information generation unit 24 storage unit 241 hard disk device 242 receiver identifier card input unit 25 image generation unit 26 MODEM 261 output unit 262 reception unit 28 display unit 31 communication line

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06F 17/30 340 G06F 17/30 340A 350 350C F-term (Reference) 5B049 AA06 BB11 BB49 CC02 CC05 CC08 CC22 DD04 DD05 EE01 EE05 EE23 FF03 FF04 FF09 GG04 GG07 5B075 KK07 KK20 KK33 ND03 ND20 ND23 ND36 NK02 NK13 NK24 PP10 PP12 PP22 PP30 PQ02 PQ05 PR03 PR06 QM08 UU38 UU40

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. A receiving unit for receiving a first product identifier or product information including a first product identifier and first keyword information, and storing a second product identifier or second keyword information and a recipient identifier. A storage unit that determines whether the first product identifier and the second product identifier are the same, or determines whether the first keyword information and the second keyword information are the same or similar. And determining whether the first product identifier and the second product identifier are the same, or if the first keyword information and the second keyword information are the same or similar, the first product identifier A product information receiving device, comprising: an order information generating unit that automatically generates order information of a product according to the above; and an output unit that automatically outputs the order information. 2. The second product identifier or the first product identifier which is the same product identifier as the first product identifier included in the order history of the product or the purchase history of the product further stored in the storage unit. Further comprising a calculation unit for calculating the number of days from the previous order date or the purchase date of the product according to any of the second keyword information that is the same or similar to the keyword information of the order information, The generation unit determines that the first product identifier and the second product identifier are the same, or that the first keyword information and the second keyword information are the same or similar, and that the last order date or purchase If the number of days from date to the present is equal to or greater than a certain number of days, order information is automatically generated based on the first product identifier and the recipient identifier. Product information receiving apparatus according to 1. 3. The merchandise information receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined number of days is set to a different number of days for each of the second merchandise identifier or the second keyword information. 4. The order information generating unit, wherein the second product identifier is the same product identifier as the first product identifier contained in the product order history or product purchase history further stored in the storage unit. Product having the same order quantity as the order quantity included in the order information of the last order of the product related to either the product identifier of the second order or the second keyword information that is the same or similar to the first keyword information. The product information receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the order information is automatically generated. 5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a command input unit for inputting a command as to whether or not said order information generating unit automatically generates said order information, wherein said order information generating unit automatically generates an order based on said command. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the order information is generated.
The product information receiving device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. 6. The order history of the product or the purchase history of the product, wherein the storage unit includes information on a predetermined number of days and an order destination of the product determined for each of the second product identifier or the second keyword information. Based on the order history of the product or the purchase history of the product, the last order date of the product according to the second product identifier or the second keyword information or the last purchase date to the present. If the number of days is equal to or more than the predetermined number of days, the information processing apparatus further includes a request information generation unit that generates request information for sending product information, wherein the output unit sends the request information to a previous order destination. The product information receiving device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein 7. A communication unit for transmitting product information, a storage unit for storing an order history or purchase history of an orderer, and a fixed number of days determined for each product, and an order history or purchase of the orderer. Based on the history, if the number of days from the date when the orderer last ordered or purchased the product to the present is equal to or more than the certain number of days related to the item ordered by the orderer, the item ordered by the orderer Or a management unit that instructs the communication unit to transmit product information on products similar to the above to the orderer. 8. The merchandise information transmitting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the merchandise information transmitted by the communication unit is attached with the quantity of the merchandise ordered last time by the orderer. 9. A receiving step of receiving the first product identifier or the product information including the first product identifier and the first keyword information, and storing the second product identifier or the second keyword information and the receiver identifier. And determining whether the first product identifier and the second product identifier are the same, or determining whether the first keyword information and the second keyword information are the same or similar. Determining whether the first product identifier and the second product identifier are the same, or if the first keyword information and the second keyword information are the same or similar, the first product identifier An order information generating step of automatically generating order information of a product according to the above, and an output step of automatically outputting the order information. Receiving method. 10. The same product identifier as the second product identifier or the first keyword information, which is the same product identifier as the first product identifier included in the stored order history of the product or the purchase history of the product. Or a calculation step of calculating the number of days from the last order date or purchase date of the product according to any of the second keyword information that is similar keyword information to the present, and in the order information generation step, The first product identifier and the second product identifier are the same, or the first keyword information and the second keyword information are the same or similar, and the last order date or purchase date to the present If the number of days is equal to or more than a certain number of days, order information is automatically generated based on the first product identifier and the receiver identifier. Product Information reception method according to Motomeko 9. 11. The product information receiving method according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined number of days is set to a different number of days for each of the second product identifier or the second keyword information. 12. In the order information generating step,
The second product identifier or the same or similar keyword information as the first keyword information, which is the same product identifier as the first product identifier included in the stored product order history or product purchase history. The second being
The product order information of the same order quantity as the order quantity included in the order information of the previous order of the product related to any one of the keyword information items is automatically generated. The product information receiving method according to claim. 13. An order inputting step of inputting an instruction as to whether or not to automatically generate the order information in the order information generating step, wherein the order information generating step automatically generates an instruction based on the instruction. The method for receiving product information according to claim 9, wherein the order information is generated. 14. The method according to claim 14, wherein in the storing step, the second
The order history of the product or the purchase history of the product including the information of the product identifier or the fixed number of days and the order destination of the product determined for each of the second keyword information is stored. If the number of days from the previous order date or the last purchase date of the product related to the second product identifier or the second keyword information to the present is equal to or more than the certain number of days, the product information The method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, further comprising a request information sending step of sending request information for sending to a previous order destination. 15. A communication step of transmitting product information, a storage step of storing an order history or purchase history of an orderer, and a fixed number of days determined for each product, and an order history or purchase of the orderer. Based on the history, if the number of days from the date when the orderer last ordered the product to the present is equal to or more than the certain number of days related to the product ordered by the orderer, the product ordered by the orderer or similar. And a management step for instructing the orderer to transmit product information relating to the product to be transmitted. 16. The product information sending method according to claim 15, wherein in the communication step, the orderer attaches the quantity of the product ordered last time to the product information to be transmitted. 17. A receiving step of receiving product information including a first product identifier or a first product identifier and first keyword information, and storing a second product identifier or a second keyword information and a recipient identifier. And determining whether the first product identifier and the second product identifier are the same, or determining whether the first keyword information and the second keyword information are the same or similar. Determining whether the first product identifier and the second product identifier are the same, or if the first keyword information and the second keyword information are the same or similar, the first product identifier An order information generating step of automatically generating order information of a product according to the above, and an output step of automatically outputting the order information. Recording medium for recording a broadcast reception program.