JP2002268831A - Advertising printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To provide an advertisement printing system having a function of adding an advertisement suitable for a user's preference to print data from a computer and outputting it. SOLUTION: When a user having a computer 11 connected to the Internet prints out a sentence created by a word processor or the like on a printer 14 connected to a network 10, the user sends the sentence created by the word processor or the like to the network on the computer. Request print output from the connected printer. The computer sends the print data to the network. Next, the printer receives the print data via the network and sends an advertisement request signal to the network. Next, the server 13 receives the advertisement request signal via the network and sends out the advertisement data to the network. Next, the printer receives the advertisement data via the network, adds the advertisement data to the back surface or the like of the received print data, and prints out the print data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an advertisement printing system using a network system including a server, a computer, and a printer connected to a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, various computers such as personal computers are widely used as information processing apparatuses.
Printers and the like are widely used as peripheral devices. It is common for such computers to be connected to the Internet so that they can use mail and WWW. The connection to the Internet is made through a server of the provider, and the server of the provider performs user authentication and then permits access to the Internet.

[0003] Such a server can store a user's access history to the WWW. As a result, the provider can know the user's preference, and by sending an advertisement mail or the like that matches the user's preference to the user, the provider can discount the connection fee to the provider or the purchase price of the personal computer or make it free. Or However, users use a printer to print various texts created on a computer on paper.
The user pays for the purchase of the printer and for paper and toner.

As a related art, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-320145, a printer acquires and accumulates an advertisement and a warning character string autonomously from a network, and adds it to print data when a computer requests printing. There is disclosed an information processing apparatus for performing printing.

[0005]

In such an environment, there is a demand to add an advertisement to print data to discount printer purchase costs, maintenance costs for paper and toner, and the like, or to make them free. is there. In addition, when an advertisement is added to print data, if an advertisement that differs for each user or an advertisement that matches the user's preference is printed, the advertisement effect is significantly improved.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an advertisement printing system having a function of adding, to a print data from a computer, an advertisement particularly suited to a user's preference and outputting the print data. I will provide a.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a first advertisement printing system according to the present invention communicates with a plurality of remotely located computers through a network to store advertisement data. An advertisement printing system comprising a server having a database, a computer capable of communicating with the server via a network and capable of at least arbitrary data input and image display, and a printer capable of communicating with the server and the computer and capable of printing print data from the computer When print data is input from a computer, the printer acquires the advertisement data from the server, adds the advertisement data to the back of the print data, and prints the print data.

[0008] A second advertisement printing system according to the present invention comprises:
It communicates with a plurality of computers installed at remote locations through a network, has a user authentication function to permit Internet access requests from the computers, and has a database having a database for storing advertisement data, and can communicate with the server and the network. An advertisement printing system including a computer capable of at least arbitrary data input and image display, and a printer capable of communicating with a server and a computer and capable of printing print data from the computer, wherein the printer receives print data input from the computer. If there is, the advertisement data of the user is acquired from the server, the advertisement data is added to the back side of the print data, etc., and the print data is printed.

[0009] A third advertisement printing system according to the present invention comprises:
A database that communicates with a plurality of computers installed in remote locations through a network, has a user authentication function for permitting an Internet access request from the computers, and can classify and store URLs and the like accessed by users from the computers; A server having a database for storing advertisement data suitable for the user's preference, a computer capable of communicating with the server via a network, capable of at least arbitrary data input and image display, and capable of communicating with the server and the computer; An advertisement printing system including a printer capable of printing print data. The printer obtains advertisement data suitable for a user's preference from a server when a print request is issued from a computer, and prints an advertisement on the back of the print data. Add data and mark It is way.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an advertisement printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, this printing system is connected to a network 11 of a public network, a computer 11 owned by a user, a database 13 and a server 13 having a function of searching for advertisements, and a printer 14 owned by the user. It is configured.

The computer 11 has a communication function with the network 10, and has input means such as a keyboard and output means such as a display. The computer 11 reads out the contents stored in the storage means and performs arithmetic processing by the arithmetic means. Various processes can be performed. Server 13
Has a function of communicating with a network, performs user authentication using a user ID and a password received via the network, and stores various data received via the network in the database 12. It also searches for data in the database and sends it out to the network. The printer 14 has a communication function with the network 10, receives print data via the network 10, sends out the user ID received via the network 10 to the network, and transmits the advertisement data received via the network 10. Is added to the print data and printed out.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The operation when a user having the computer 11 connected to the Internet prints out a text created by a word processor or the like to a printer 14 connected to the network 10 will be described. The user makes a print request for a sentence created by a word processor or the like to a printer connected to a network on a computer. The computer sends the print data to the network. Next, the printer receives the print data via the network and sends an advertisement request signal to the network. Next, the server 13 receives the advertisement request signal via the network and sends out the advertisement data to the network. Next, the printer receives the advertisement data via the network, adds the advertisement data to the back surface or the like of the received print data, and prints out the print data.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The user accesses the user authentication page of the server 13. It is assumed that the user knows the address of the authentication page of the server. The server sends the data of the authentication page to the network 10. Next, a user authentication page as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the display of the computer 11,
The user inputs a user ID and a password. Next, the server performs user authentication using the user ID and password received via the network. If authenticated, proceed to the next step.

Next, the user writes the text created by a word processor or the like on a printer 1 connected to a network on a computer.
4 requests a printout. The computer sends the print data and the user ID to the network. FIG. 5 shows an example of the data structure transmitted to the network. Next, the printer receives the data as shown in FIG. 5 via the network, sends out the user ID to the network, and requests the server for the advertisement data. Next, the server receives the user ID via the network, searches the database with the received user ID, retrieves the advertisement data, and transmits the advertisement data to the network. FIG. 6 is an example of advertisement data stored in the database of the server. Next, the printer receives the advertisement data via the network, adds the advertisement data to the back surface of the received print data, and prints out the print data.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The user accesses the user authentication page of the server 13. It is assumed that the user knows the address of the authentication page of the server. The server sends the data of the authentication page to the network 10. Next, a user authentication page as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the display of the computer 11,
The user inputs a user ID and a password. Next, the server performs user authentication using the user ID and password received via the network. If authenticated, proceed to the next step.

Next, the user accesses WWW or the like.
The computer sends the URL of the WWW accessed by the user to the network. The server classifies the URL received via the network according to a predetermined classification method.

FIG. 8 is an example of a flowchart for classifying URLs. User ID and UR accessed by the user
When L is input, first, the database 12 is searched from the user ID to obtain preference data. FIG. 9 shows an example of the data structure of the preference data. Next, the URL is classified.
If the input URL is for sports, the sports counter in the preference data is incremented. If the input URL is for a trip, the trip counter of the preference data is incremented. Similarly, we classify music, gourmet, cars, PCs (personal computers), etc.
Increase the corresponding counter. Next, the preference data is stored in the database.

Next, the user makes a print request for a document created by a word processor or the like to a printer connected to a network on a computer. The computer sends the print data and the user ID to the network. FIG. 5 shows an example of the data structure transmitted to the network. Next, the printer receives the data as shown in FIG. 5 via the network, sends out the user ID to the network, and requests the server for the advertisement data. Next, the server receives the user ID via the network, searches the database with the received user ID, and extracts the preference data as shown in FIG.

Next, the preference class having the largest counter of the preference data is taken out, the database is searched by the preference category, the advertisement data is taken out, and the advertisement data is transmitted to the network. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a process in which the server obtains preference data from a user ID and obtains advertisement data. FIG. 11 shows an example of advertisement data stored in the server. Next, the printer receives the advertisement data via the network, adds the advertisement data to the back surface or the like of the received print data, and prints out the print data.

FIG. 12 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
13 is a flowchart showing an operation according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which the server classifies URLs and the like accessed by the user, and when the stored data exceeds a certain amount, discards the oldest data. When the user ID and the URL are input, the server searches the database for preference data as shown in FIG. 13 and obtains a total counter of the preference data.

If the total counter exceeds a certain amount, the counter of the preference category having the oldest time stamp is lowered, and the oldest time stamp is deleted. In the example of FIG. 13, the sports counter goes down and the oldest time stamp is deleted. The following processing is the same as in FIG. This gives the user recent preferences,
The advertising effect can be further increased.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, the printer is a peripheral device necessary for a computer such as a personal computer, and the user bears the purchase cost and the maintenance cost. Accordingly, if an advertisement is added to the data to be printed by the user and the data is printed, the cost can be reduced or made free.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an advertisement printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram illustrating a user recognition page.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a data structure transmitted from a computer to a network.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of advertisement data stored in a database of a server.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a process in which a server classifies a URL.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing a data structure of preference data searched by a server.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process in which a server obtains preference data and obtains advertisement data.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of advertisement data stored in a server.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an operation according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram showing a data structure of preference data searched by a server.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Network 11 Computer 12 Database 13 Server 14 Printer

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI Theme coat II (reference) G06F 17/60 124 G06F 17/60 124 F term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AP10 HH03 HJ06 HK04 HN02 HN15 HQ17 JJ02 JJ14 2C087 AA13 AB06 BD01 BD41 BD46 BD53 CB03 CB12 2C187 AE06 AF01 DC01 5B021 AA01 BB02

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A server having a database for storing advertisement data by communicating with a plurality of computers installed at remote locations through a network, and communicating with the server via the network, at least any data input and image An advertisement printing system comprising a computer capable of displaying, a printer capable of communicating with the server and the computer, and capable of printing print data from the computer, wherein the printer receives print data input from the computer. And an advertisement printing system for obtaining advertisement data from the server, adding the advertisement data to a back surface of print data, and printing the advertisement data. 2. A server that communicates with a plurality of remotely located computers through a network, has a user authentication function for permitting an Internet access request from the computers, and has a database that stores advertisement data; An advertisement printing system comprising a computer capable of communicating with the server via the network and capable of at least arbitrary data input and image display, and a printer capable of communicating with the server and the computer and capable of printing print data from the computer. The printer, when print data is input from the computer, acquires the advertisement data of the user from the server, adds the advertisement data to the back side of the print data, and prints. Advertising printing system. 3. A user authentication function for communicating with a plurality of computers installed at remote locations through a network, permitting an Internet access request from the computer, and classifying URLs and the like accessed by a user from the computer. A server that has a database that can store the advertisement data and a database that stores the advertisement data that matches the user's preference; and a computer that can communicate with the server via the network, and that can perform at least any data input and image display. An advertisement printing system comprising a printer capable of communicating with the server and the computer and capable of printing print data from the computer, wherein the printer receives a user's request from the server when receiving a print request from the computer. Before being in taste An advertisement printing system, comprising: acquiring advertisement data; adding the advertisement data to a back surface of the print data; and printing the advertisement data. 4. The advertisement printing system according to claim 3, wherein the server has a function of classifying URLs and the like accessed by the user and discarding the stored data from oldest ones when storing the URLs.