JP2003271830A - Electronic book, electronic book program and its recording medium, electronic book providing method, electronic book providing system, electronic book providing program and its recording medium, electronic book settlement method, electronic book settlement system, electronic book settlement program and its recording medium, electronic Book sales method, electronic book sales system, electronic book sales program and recording medium thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide an electronic book sales system capable of browsing an electronic book without requiring the assistance of another application and capable of restricting browsing. An electronic book includes a book data storage unit 2 that stores book data in which the contents of the book are stored in a digital format.
4, a display means 21 for displaying the book data stored in the book data storage unit 24, a payment status storage unit 31 for storing a payment status indicating whether the payment has been made or not, a payment status And a restricting unit for restricting display of book data by the display unit when the settlement status stored in the storage unit is not settled.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic book selling system for selling electronic books. Specifically, the present invention relates to an electronic book sales system in which only a part of an electronic book can be browsed when unsettled and the entire electronic book can be browsed after settlement.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional example of the electronic book selling system described above, there is an electronic book system described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-113050 (publication date: April 21, 2000).

In the electronic book system, the publisher of the electronic book has a format that can be read only by an electronic book viewer that exclusively manages the electronic book and partially encrypts it with a viewing key dedicated to the electronic book. If there is no such information, some of the information cannot be read normally and is distributed. The subscriber browses the partially-missed electronic book, and obtains the browsing key for a fee if he or she wants to obtain the proper information. All information can be browsed by unlocking the encrypted part using the obtained browse key.

Further, as another conventional example of the electronic book sales system as described above, there is a book advertisement / sales system described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-76338 (publication date: March 14, 2000). Can be mentioned.

The advertisement / sale system for books uses a computer network in which an advertisement / sale computer and a customer terminal are connected. The advertisement / sale computer, in response to a request from the customer terminal, mostly compresses and encodes and distributes the content of the book under time and opportunity restrictions. Then, the advertising / sale computer cancels the encryption and compression code of the book data according to the customer data and the presence or absence of the purchase intention.
This allows browsing or saving.

[0006]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention
In the electronic book system described in Japanese Patent Publication, a viewer dedicated to browsing the electronic book is required to realize the viewing restriction. However, there are various forms of electronic books (for example,
Typefaces, vertical writing / horizontal writing, including audio / still images / videos, etc.), and even if some of these forms cannot be handled by a dedicated viewer, the e-books that can be sold will be limited. become.

Further, in the electronic book system described in JP-A-2000-113050 and the book advertisement / sales system described in JP-A-2000-76338, browsing restrictions and cancellation of the restrictions are It relies on encoding and decoding based on encryption of electronic data.

However, there is a possibility that the encryption of electronic data is not sufficient to protect the copyright of an electronic book. That is, as a means for preventing duplication or theft, it is a natural measure to encrypt electronic data at the distribution stage, but at least the decryption on the display is necessary for the buyer to browse the electronic book. At this time, the decrypted electronic data may be copied or diverted. Therefore, it is desired to provide the electronic book with various restrictions such as a restriction on file access, a restriction on copying, storage and transfer, in addition to a restriction on browsing.

In the book advertisement / sale system described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-76338, the advertisement / sale computer requests the price settlement system to settle the price of the book,
After the payment is completed, the encryption and compression code of the book data is released.

In general, provision of goods and services and settlement of provided goods and services are often performed by separate systems. However, in the above-mentioned advertising / sales system, the user needs to request the payment to the price payment system via the advertising / sales computer because it is necessary to remove the restriction of browsing even when the payment is made. .
Therefore, the processing load on the advertising / sales computer is increased and the settlement process is delayed.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is that an electronic book can be browsed without the need of the assistance of another application such as a viewer, Moreover, it is to provide an electronic book sales system capable of restricting browsing. Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic book sales system in which not only browsing restrictions due to data encryption but also technical resources for realizing other restrictions such as copy prevention and transfer prevention can be used. Especially.

[0012]

In order to solve the above problems, an electronic book according to claim 1 has a display means for displaying book data in which the contents of the book are stored in a digital format, and an unsettled payment. Authentication means for storing a payment status indicating whether or not the payment is completed, and restriction means for restricting the display of the book data by the display means when the payment status of the authentication means is unsettled. It is characterized by having.

In the present application, books are not only documents but also books.
It includes all things that can transmit information, such as still images, moving images, and audio. Therefore, the display means is not only a means for visually transmitting information such as a document or an image, but is also a means for transmitting information to human being like a means for acoustically transmitting information such as voice. It shall include various information transmission means capable of

According to the above configuration, the display means for displaying the book data is provided in the electronic book itself. Therefore, even for a wide variety of books, for example, special characters or typefaces are used, vertical writing and horizontal writing are mixed, voices, still images, and moving images are included, Appropriate display can be performed according to the data.

Further, since the settlement status and the restricting means when the settlement is unsettled are provided in the electronic book, the copyright protection of the electronic book does not depend only on the encryption of the book data. For example, by adding a means for preventing the copy of the book data to the restriction means, it is possible to prevent the copy of the book data even after the restriction on the browsing is released.

Therefore, various kinds of technical resources can be used for the restriction means in order to apply other restrictions to the electronic book, such as restrictions on file access, restrictions on copying, storage and transfer. The protection of the copyright of books can be improved.

The display means, the authentication means, and the restriction means in the electronic book can be made to function as an electronic book program on a computer.
Further, by storing the electronic book program in a computer-readable recording medium, it is possible to realize the function of each unit in the electronic book on any computer.

An electronic book providing method according to a fourth aspect is an electronic book providing method for providing a user with the electronic book according to the first aspect, and a request for obtaining the electronic book from the user is made. Upon receipt, the authentication means generates an electronic book in which the unsettled payment status is stored, and provides the created electronic book to the user.

In the electronic book provided to the user by the above method, the settlement status stored in the authentication means is unsettled. Therefore, when the user browses the electronic book,
The browsing is restricted by the restriction means of the electronic book. Therefore, it is possible to satisfy the precondition for selling the electronic book, that is, preventing all the contents of the electronic book from being browsed without making payment for the electronic book.

Further, by changing the settlement status, the browsing restriction can be released, so that the browsing restriction can be released by a person other than the electronic book provider. Therefore, the provider of the electronic book does not need to perform the process of releasing the restriction of browsing, and the processing load can be reduced.

An electronic book providing system according to claim 5 is an electronic book providing system for providing the electronic book according to claim 1 to a user, and a request for obtaining the electronic book from the user is issued. An input / output unit that receives and provides the requested electronic book to the user, and an electronic book generation unit that stores the unsettled payment status in the authentication unit and generates the requested electronic book Is characterized by.

In the above configuration, when the input / output unit receives a request from the user to acquire the electronic book, the electronic book generating unit sends the unsettled payment status to the authentication unit in response to the request. The stored electronic book is generated, and the generated electronic book is provided to the user by the input / output unit.

At this time, since the payment status stored in the authentication means is unsettled, the electronic book provided to the user has restrictions on the electronic book when the user browses the electronic book. The means limits the browsing. Therefore, it is possible to satisfy the precondition for selling the electronic book, that is, preventing all the contents of the electronic book from being browsed without making payment for the electronic book.

Further, by changing the settlement status, the browsing restriction can be released, so that the browsing restriction can be released by a system other than the electronic book providing system, such as a payment system. Therefore, the electronic book providing system does not need to have the function of releasing the restriction of browsing, and the burden on the system can be reduced.

Further, in the electronic book providing system according to a sixth aspect, in the configuration according to the fifth aspect, the input / output means includes a communication means for communicating with a terminal operated by a user via a communication network. It is characterized by that.

According to the above configuration, the user can obtain the electronic book from the electronic book providing system via the communication unit and the communication network by connecting the terminal to the communication network. Therefore, the user can easily obtain the desired electronic book at any place where the terminal can be connected to the communication network.

Further, in the electronic book providing system according to a seventh aspect, in the configuration according to the fifth or sixth aspect, the input / output unit records on an input unit operated by a user and a removable recording medium. And an external recording means for performing the same.

In the above structure, the user directly requests the desired electronic book through the input means,
The recording medium on which the electronic book is recorded can be acquired by the external recording means. Then, the electronic book can be browsed on the terminal by reading the recording medium with an external storage device installed inside or outside the terminal used by the user.

Therefore, by installing the electronic book providing system having the above configuration in a highly convenient place such as a bookstore, a station front, a convenience store, etc., an environment in which a terminal used by a user can connect to a communication network You can easily obtain e-books even if you do not have it.

The input / output unit and the electronic book generating unit can be made to function as an electronic book providing program on a computer. Further, by storing the electronic book providing program in a computer-readable recording medium, it is possible to realize the function of each unit in the electronic book providing system on an arbitrary computer.

Further, an electronic book settlement method according to a tenth aspect is an electronic book settlement method for performing the settlement of the electronic book according to the first aspect, wherein when the user receives the settlement request from the user, the settlement processing is performed. When the payment processing is completed, the authentication means storing the payment status indicating that the payment is completed is generated and provided to the user.

In the above method, when the payment of the electronic book is completed, the user is provided with the authentication means (hereinafter referred to as "paid authentication means") storing the payment status indicating that the payment is completed. By overwriting the authentication means of the electronic book with this authentication means, the settlement status stored in the authentication means of the electronic book is changed from unsettled to completed. Thereby, all the book data can be browsed.

Therefore, it is possible to satisfy the precondition for selling the electronic book that the entire contents of the electronic book can be browsed after the payment of the electronic book. Also, by changing the settlement status to settled, the browsing restriction can be released, so it is not necessary to receive a means for releasing the restriction from the e-book provider, and the processing for releasing the browsing restriction can be performed quickly. You can

An electronic book payment system according to claim 11 is an electronic book payment system for performing payment for an electronic book according to claim 1, wherein the electronic book payment system receives the payment request from a user and An input / output unit for providing an authentication unit to a user, a payment unit for performing a payment process, and when the payment process is completed by the payment unit, the authentication unit storing a payment status indicating that the payment is completed is generated, and the input / output unit is generated. And an authentication generating means for sending to the.

In the above configuration, when the input / output unit receives the settlement request from the user, the settlement unit performs the settlement process, and when the settlement process is completed, the authentication generation unit activates the settlement completed authentication unit. The authentication means that has been generated and has been settled by the input / output means is provided to the user.

Therefore, it is possible to satisfy the precondition for selling the electronic book that the entire contents of the electronic book can be browsed after the payment of the electronic book. Further, since the restriction on browsing can be canceled by changing the settlement status to settled, it is not necessary to receive a means for canceling the constraint from the electronic book providing system, and the settlement and the restriction on browsing can be quickly released. it can.

Further, in the electronic book payment system according to claim 12, in the configuration according to claim 11, the input / output means includes a communication means for communicating with a terminal operated by a user via a communication network. It is characterized by that.

According to the above configuration, the user can obtain the settlement-completed authentication unit from the electronic book settlement system via the communication unit and the communication network by connecting the terminal to the communication network. .
Therefore, the user can easily obtain the authenticated authentication means at any place where the terminal can be connected to the communication network.

According to the electronic book settlement system of the thirteenth aspect, in the configuration of the eleventh or twelfth aspect, the input / output unit is an input unit operated by a user.
An external recording means for recording on a removable recording medium is provided.

In the above structure, the user can obtain the recording medium on which the authenticated authentication means is recorded by the external recording means by directly requesting the payment by the input means. Then, by reading the recording medium with an external storage device installed inside or outside the terminal used by the user, it is possible to browse the electronic book without restriction on the terminal.

Therefore, by installing the electronic book payment system having the above configuration in a highly convenient place such as a bookstore, a train station, a convenience store, or the like, an environment in which the terminal used by the user can connect to the communication network Even if it does not exist, it is possible to easily obtain the authenticated authentication means.

The input / output unit, the settlement unit, and the authentication generation unit can be made to function as an electronic book settlement program on a computer. Further, by storing the electronic book payment program in a computer-readable recording medium, it is possible to realize the function of each unit in the electronic book payment system on an arbitrary computer.

Further, an electronic book selling method in the electronic book selling system according to claim 16 is an electronic book providing system for providing a user with the electronic book according to claim 1.
An electronic book payment system for making payment for the electronic book;
An electronic book selling method in an electronic book selling system, which is connected to the electronic book providing system and the electronic book settlement system via a communication network, and includes a browsing terminal for a user to browse the electronic book,
When the electronic book providing system receives a request from the user to acquire the electronic book, the electronic book generating system generates the electronic book in which the unsettled payment status is stored, and transmits the electronic book to the browsing terminal. When the user receives the payment request from the user, the payment processing is performed, and when the payment processing is completed, the authentication means storing the payment status indicating that the payment is completed is generated and transmitted to the viewing terminal. There is.

According to the above method, in the electronic book provided from the electronic book providing system, the restriction means restricts a part or the whole of the browsing of the book data by the unsettled payment status stored in the authentication means. . Then, the restriction of browsing is released by the payment-completed authentication means provided by the electronic book payment system.

Therefore, since the restriction of browsing can be canceled by the electronic book settlement system, the processing load of the electronic book providing system can be reduced, and the processing of canceling the restriction of browsing after settlement can be performed quickly. it can. In addition, since the system that provides the electronic book and the system that removes the restriction on browsing can be separated from each other, both systems can be flexibly operated.

An electronic book sales system according to claim 17 is an electronic book providing system for providing a user with the electronic book according to claim 1, and an electronic book settlement system for making a payment for the electronic book. An electronic book sales system, comprising: a reading terminal that is connected to the electronic book providing system and the electronic book settlement system via a communication network, and that has a browsing terminal through which a user browses the electronic book. Is a communication unit that receives a request to acquire the electronic book from a user and that transmits the requested electronic book to the browsing terminal, and stores the unsettled payment status in the authentication unit to make a request. An electronic book generating unit that generates a stored electronic book, wherein the electronic book payment system receives the request for the payment from a user and the authentication. Communication means for transmitting a step to the browsing terminal, settlement means for performing the settlement processing, and when the settlement processing is completed by the settlement means, the authentication means for storing the settlement status indicating that the settlement is completed is generated. And the authentication generation means for transmitting to the communication means, and the browsing terminal changes the authentication means in the electronic book received from the electronic book providing system to the authentication means received from the electronic book payment system. It is characterized in that it is provided with a changing means.

According to the above configuration, the electronic book provided from the electronic book providing system is restricted by the restricting means for a part or all of the browsing of the book data depending on the unsettled payment status stored in the authenticating means. . Then, the restriction of browsing is released by the payment-completed authentication means provided by the electronic book payment system.

Therefore, since the restriction of browsing can be released by the electronic book settlement system, the burden on the electronic book providing system can be reduced, and the restriction of browsing can be quickly released after the settlement. Further, since the electronic book providing system for providing the electronic book and the system for providing the releasing means for releasing the restriction of browsing can be separated from each other, both systems can be flexibly operated.

The request for acquiring the electronic book or the request for the payment may be transmitted from the browsing terminal, or may be connected to the electronic book providing system and the electronic book payment system via a communication network. It may be transmitted from the terminal.

Further, each of the above means can be made to function on a computer as an electronic book sales program. Further, by storing the electronic book selling program in a computer-readable recording medium, it is possible to realize the function of each unit in the electronic book selling system on an arbitrary computer.

[0051]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [Embodiment 1] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 and 7. FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of the electronic book selling system of this embodiment.

The electronic book sales system 10 includes an electronic book distribution system (electronic book providing system) 11 for providing electronic books to customers, and a purchase management system (electronic book payment) for making payment in response to a customer's purchase request for electronic books. system)
12 and a portable information terminal 13 which is a customer terminal for a customer to browse or store an electronic book. The electronic book distribution system 11, the purchase management system 12, and the mobile information terminal 13 are connected to each other via a communication network 19.

The electronic book distribution system 11 includes a server storing the electronic book body 20 and the electronic book portable information terminal 1.
And a mechanism for transmitting the data to the H.3. Further, the customer management system 12 includes a mechanism for performing payment in response to a purchase request from a customer and a mechanism for transmitting a payment certifying electronic file to the mobile information terminal 13. The detailed configurations of the electronic book distribution system 11 and the purchase management system 12 will be described later.

The portable information terminal 13 includes hardware 17, which is a physical component, an operating system 16, and various other software, as in a general computer system. The software includes the electronic book 15 received from the electronic book distribution system 11.

The operating system 16 manages the control of the hardware of the portable information terminal 13 and the execution of application programs. When the application program is Java (registered trademark) specification, the operating system 16 includes a Java runtime that manages the execution of the Java program.

The hardware 17 has an input device, a display device, a storage device, and a computing device as basic constituent elements. In order to realize versatility when applying the present invention,
The hardware 17 includes an external storage device 18. The external storage device 18 is a device for using a small storage medium, and is a magnetic disk drive such as a hard disk drive or a floppy (registered trademark) disk drive,
An optical disk drive such as a CD drive, MO drive, or DVD drive is included.

Next, the internal structure of the electronic book 15 will be described with reference to FIG. The electronic book 15 includes an electronic book body 20 and an authentication unit 30.

The electronic book body 20 includes a display / event management means 21, an input / output management means 22, a restriction means 23, and a book data storage section 24. Book data storage unit 24
The book data, which is the content of the electronic book, is stored in. The book data includes various information resources such as images and sounds in addition to text. The book data storage unit 24 also stores an electronic book ID that uniquely represents the electronic book body 20. In addition, electronic book ID
May uniquely represent the book data.

The display / event management means 21 manages a method of displaying book data and a method of executing in response to the occurrence of an event, that is, an external operation such as an input from various buttons or a pointing device. Based on these methods, the input / output management means 22 is instructed.

The restricting means 23 gives an instruction to the input / output managing means 22 so as to restrict the browsing of the book data. As a method for restricting the browsing of the book data, various known methods such as hiding part or all of the text or image, lowering the resolution of the image, stopping the moving image or sound, etc. can be used. It is desirable to select and use the most suitable method for each electronic book 15.

The input / output management means 22 is used for the electronic book body 20.
Manages various data that is input or output within. For example, when browsing an electronic book, the book data is read from the book data storage unit 24, and based on the instruction from the display / event management means 21, the book data is changed or the data instructing the display method is read. It is attached to data or output to the operating system 16.

At this time, the display / event management means 21
Refers to the collating unit 33 of the authentication unit 30 described later whether the electronic book 15 is unpurchased (unsettled) or purchased (settled). 23
Based on the instruction from, the book data is restricted to browse and then output to the operating system 16.

The authentication unit 30 includes a payment status storage unit 31 for storing a payment status indicating whether the purchase has been made or not.
An electronic book ID storage unit 32 that stores an electronic book ID that uniquely represents the electronic book body 20. Also, the authentication unit 3
Reference numeral 0 is provided with a collating unit 33 for notifying the payment status inquiry from the input / output management unit 22 by referring to the payment status stored in the payment status storage unit 31.

The collating means 33 collates the electronic book ID stored in the book data storage section 24 of the electronic book body 20 with the electronic book ID stored in the book ID storage section 32 of the authentication section 30. As a result, it is possible to prevent the authentication unit 30 from being changed to a different electronic book authentication unit.

The electronic book 15 is provided as an application program file having a data file and a program file as basic components. That is, various means 21, 22, 23, in the electronic book 15
33 is provided and executed as a program.

Next, the internal structure of the electronic book distribution system 11 will be described with reference to FIG. The electronic book distribution system 11 is a system for providing the electronic book selected by the customer to the customer, and as shown in FIG.
The authentication / selection unit 42, the authentication unit generation unit 43, the electronic book generation unit 44, the electronic book body server 45, and the list creation unit 46 are provided. The electronic book body server 45 stores a large number of electronic book bodies 20 that can be distributed by the electronic book distribution system 11.

The communication means 41 communicates with the portable information terminal 13 via the network 19. That is, the communication unit 41 receives the request from the customer, and the authentication / selection unit 4 receives the request.
The electronic book 15 is received from the electronic book generating means 44 or the electronic book list is received from the list creating means 46 and transmitted to the portable information terminal 13 in response to the request.

When the authentication / selection means 42 receives a request from a customer via the communication means 41, the authentication / selection means 42 gives an instruction to the authentication section generation means 43, the electronic book body server 45, or the list creation means 46 in accordance with the request. .

For example, when the customer requests an electronic book, the authentication / selection unit 42 instructs the authentication unit generation unit 43 to generate the authentication unit 30 according to the requested electronic book. The electronic book body server 45 is instructed to transmit the electronic book body 20 to the electronic book generating means 44. When the customer requests a list of electronic books, the authentication / selection unit 42 instructs the list creating unit 46 to create a list of electronic books.

The authentication / selection means 42 also exchanges various information with the purchase management system 12. For example,
The authentication / selection means 42 is a correspondence table 1 of book IDs and unit prices for electronic books stored in the electronic book body server 45.
4 to the purchase management system 12 or the purchaser and the electronic book (book ID) purchased are purchased.
Or receive from. The authentication / selection unit 42 may confirm whether or not the customer is a member.

The authentication unit generation means 43 is the authentication / selection means 4
According to the instruction from 2, the authentication unit 30 is generated and transmitted to the electronic book generating means 44. The electronic book generating means 44
The authentication unit 30 is received from the authentication unit generation unit 43, and the electronic book body 20 is received from the electronic book body server 45.

Next, the electronic book generating means 44 stores the book ID of the electronic book body 20 in the book ID storage section 32 of the authentication section 30.
The payment status indicating that the item has not been purchased is stored in the authentication unit 3
It is stored in the settlement status storage unit 31 of 0. The payment status indicating unpurchased may be stored in the payment status storage unit 31 in advance by the authentication unit generation unit 43.

Then, the electronic book generating means 44 completes the electronic book 15 by enabling the input / output management means 22 of the electronic book body 20 and the collating means 33 of the authentication section 30 to be transmitted and received. The completed electronic book 15 is transmitted to the mobile information terminal 13 via the communication unit 41.

The list creation means 46 is the authentication / selection means 42.
In response to an instruction from, the desired information such as the title and unit price of the electronic book is extracted from the electronic book body server 45 to create a list. The created list is transmitted to the mobile information terminal 13 via the communication means 41.

Next, the internal structure of the purchase management system 12 will be described with reference to FIG. Purchasing management system 1
2 includes a communication unit 51, a selection / settlement unit 52, and an authentication unit generation unit 53.

The communication means 51 communicates with the portable information terminal 13 via the network 19. That is, the communication unit 51 receives the purchase request from the customer and transmits it to the selection / settlement unit 52, and also receives the authentication unit 30 from the authentication unit generation unit 53 and transmits it to the mobile information terminal 13.

When the selection / settlement means 52 receives a purchase request from a customer through the communication means 41, the selection / settlement means 52 makes a settlement of the electronic book 15 that the customer desires to purchase. A known electronic payment method can be used as the payment method. Further, in the case of making payment by credit card or electronic money, the selecting / settling means 52 confirms whether the credit card or the electronic money is valid in order to enhance security of payment.

When the settlement is completed successfully, the selection / settlement means 52 instructs the authentication part generation means 53 to generate the authentication part 30. In addition, the selection / settlement means 52 exchanges various information with the authentication / selection means 42 of the electronic book distribution system 11, as described above.

The authentication unit generating means 53 is the selecting / settling means 5
In response to the instruction from 2, the authentication unit 30b that stores the payment status indicating the purchase in the payment status storage unit 31 is generated. The generated authentication unit 30b is transmitted to the mobile information terminal 13 via the communication unit 51.

Next, the electronic book sales system 1 having the above configuration
The operation at 0 will be described. First, the customer who owns the portable information terminal 13 connects to the electronic book distribution system 11 existing on the network and requests a list of electronic books.
At this time, in the electronic book distribution system 11, the list creating means 46 creates a list of electronic books and sends the list to the portable information terminal 13 via the communication means 41. Mobile information terminal 13
Displays the received list of electronic books on a display device (not shown).

Next, the customer selects a desired electronic book 15 from the list displayed on the portable information terminal 13 using an input device (not shown). At this time, the portable information terminal 13 requests the electronic book delivery system 11 to deliver the selected electronic book 15.

The electronic book distribution system 11 includes the authentication unit 30 generated by the authentication unit generation unit 43 and the electronic book body 20 read from the electronic book body server 45 according to an instruction from the authentication / selection unit 42. The electronic book 15 is generated by transmitting it to the electronic book generating means 44. Generated e-book 1
5 is transmitted to the mobile information terminal 13 via the communication means 41. The mobile information terminal 13 stores the received electronic book 15 in a main storage device (not shown).

At this stage, the electronic book 15 stored in the main memory is stored in the settlement status storage section 31 of the authentication section 30,
The payment status indicating unpurchased is stored. The input / output management means 22 of the electronic book body 20 can know this by referring to the matching means 33 of the authentication unit 30. At this time, the input / output management means 22 uses the restriction means 23.
On the basis of the constraint instruction by, the execution of any process is restricted, and thus the electronic book 15 is placed in a situation where, for example, only some information is displayed.

Next, the customer browses some information of the electronic book 15 displayed on the portable information terminal 13. At this time, when the customer decides to purchase the electronic book 15 because he / she is interested in the hidden information, the following processing is performed.

The customer connects the portable information terminal 13 to the purchase management system 12 existing on the network, inputs a predetermined electronic book ID, etc., and pays for the desired electronic book 15. To do.

At this time, when the purchasing management system 12 determines that the settlement is valid by the selection / settlement means 52, the settlement status indicating the purchase completed by the authentication section generation means 53 is the settlement status storage section. The authentication unit 30b stored in 31b (hereinafter referred to as "purchased authentication unit 30b") is created and transmitted to the mobile information terminal 13 via the communication unit 51.

The portable information terminal 13 is the purchasing management system 1
When the purchased authentication unit 30b is received from 2, the payment status indicating unpurchased is displayed in the payment status storage unit 31a as shown in FIG.
Authentication unit 30a stored in (hereinafter, "unpurchased authentication unit 3
0a ". ) Is received, the purchased authentication unit 30b
Overwrite. As a result, the customer can read the electronic book 15
You can browse all the information of.

The overwrite may be performed manually by the purchaser using the file management function of the operating system 16, or automatically or interactively by using a dedicated installer. May be done at.

Therefore, in the electronic book sales system 10 of this embodiment, the display / event management means 21 and the input / output management means 22 for displaying the book data are provided in the electronic book body 20, so that various kinds of books can be used. Also, appropriate display can be performed according to the book data.

A payment status storage unit 31 for storing the payment status is provided in the authentication unit 30, and the restriction unit 23 and the input / output management unit 22 for restricting browsing when the payment status is unpurchased are the electronic book body 20. Since it is deployed in, the protection of the copyright of electronic books does not depend only on the encryption of book data.

Therefore, in order to apply other restrictions such as restrictions on file access, restrictions on duplication, storage and transfer to the electronic book 15, restriction means 23 and input / output management means 22 are provided with various technical resources. Can be used to improve copyright protection for e-books.

By the way, the electronic book sales system is flexibly operated so that the kinds and the number of restrictions are varied for each electronic book 15 from the viewpoint of the strength of the copyrighted work to be sold and the operation cost. Is desirable. For example, it is not appropriate in operation that the same restrictions are applied to an electronic book sold for 100 yen and an electronic book sold for tens of thousands of yen.

On the other hand, in the electronic book sales system 10 of the present embodiment, the restricting means 23 different for each electronic book 15 is provided.
Since the input / output management means 22 can be provided,
Flexible operation of the electronic book 15 is possible.

Further, the purchase management system 12 different from the electronic book distribution system 11 can generate the purchased authentication unit 30b for canceling the restriction of browsing, so the electronic book distribution system 11 cancels the restriction of browsing. It is not necessary to have a function, and the burden on the system can be reduced.

Further, since the purchasing management system 12 does not need to receive the means for canceling the browsing constraint from the electronic book distribution system 11 when releasing the browsing constraint, the settlement and browsing constraint cancellation (purchased (Generation of the authentication unit 30b) can be performed quickly.

Further, since the user can obtain the electronic book 15 from the electronic book distribution system 11 via the communication network 19 and settle the payment by the purchase management system 12, the portable information terminal 13 can be connected to the communication network. 19
The desired electronic book 15 can be easily acquired and viewed at any place that can be connected to.

Further, since the electronic book distribution system 11 and the system for releasing the restriction on browsing (the purchase management system 12 in this embodiment) can be separated, both systems can be flexibly operated.

In this embodiment, the request is transmitted from the customer to the electronic book distribution system 11 or the purchase management system 12 from the portable information terminal 13 which receives the electronic book or the purchased authentication unit. However, the transmission of the request can also be performed at the time and place of browsing the electronic book.

Therefore, even if the terminal does not browse the electronic book, if the terminal can communicate with the electronic book distribution system 11 or the purchase management system 12, the terminal is used to transmit the request. Can be done.
In other words, browsing the electronic book 15 is a PDA (Personal Dig
Ital Assistant) can be used, and the request can be transmitted by a mobile phone.

[Embodiment 2] Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The electronic book sales system of this embodiment uses an electronic book distribution system and a purchase management system installed in a specific place, and uses an external storage device with a removable recording medium to purchase an electronic book 15 and a purchase. The customer acquires the completed authentication unit 30b. It should be noted that configurations having the same functions as the configurations described in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The electronic book sales system of this embodiment is different from the electronic book sales system 10 shown in FIG. 2 in the electronic book distribution system 11 shown in FIG. Purchasing management system 1
The purchase management system has a configuration different from that of No. 2, and other configurations are the same.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic configuration of the electronic book distribution system in this embodiment. The electronic book distribution system 11 according to the present embodiment is different from the electronic book distribution system 11 shown in FIG.
The difference is that an input device 47 and an external storage device 48 are provided, and other configurations are the same.

The display / input device 47 displays various information regarding the electronic book to the customer in the electronic book distribution system 11 installed in a specific place, and receives a request from the customer. When the display / input device 47 receives a request from the customer, the display / input device 47 authenticates / selects the request.
And the list creation means 4 in response to the request.
The list of electronic books is received from 6 and displayed.

The external storage device 48 stores the electronic book 15 generated by the electronic book generating means 44 in response to a request from the customer.
Is received and recorded on a removable recording medium 61 such as a magnetic disk or an optical disk owned by the customer.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic configuration of the purchase management system in this embodiment. The purchase management system 12 in this embodiment is the purchase management system 12 shown in FIG.
Instead of the communication means 51, a display / input device 54
Further, an external storage device 55 is provided, and other configurations are the same.

The display / input device 54 displays various information relating to the electronic book to the customer in the purchase management system 12 installed at a specific place and receives a settlement request from the customer. Further, when the display / input device 54 receives a settlement request from the customer, the display / input device 54 transmits the request to the selection / settlement means 52.

The display / input devices 47 and 54 in the electronic book distribution system 11 and the purchase management system 12
For, a touch panel display is suitable,
A device including other display means and input means may be used, or the display means and the input means may be separately provided.

The display / input devices 47 and 54 may not only transmit information by display, but may transmit information by voice. Further, the display / input device 47/54 is
It is desirable to provide a user-friendly interface such as a UI (graphical user interface).

When the settlement is completed, the external storage device 55 receives the purchased authentication unit 30b generated by the authentication unit generation means 53 and can attach / detach the magnetic disk, optical disk, etc. owned by the customer. The data is recorded on the recording medium 61.

Next, the electronic book sales system 1 having the above configuration
The operation at 0 will be described. First, the customer goes to the electronic book distribution system 11 installed in a specific place and uses the display / input device 47 of the electronic book distribution system 11 to request a list of electronic books. At this time, the electronic book distribution system 11 creates a list of electronic books by the list creating means 46, and displays the created list of electronic books on the display / input device 47.

Next, the customer requests acquisition of an electronic book by selecting a desired electronic book 15 from the list displayed on the display / input device 47 using the display / input device 47. At this time, the electronic book distribution system 11
The electronic book generating means 44 generates the electronic book 15 in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Generated e-book 1
5 is recorded on the customer's recording medium 61 via the external storage device 48.

Electronic book 15 recorded in recording medium 61
Is the external storage device 1 of the portable information terminal 13 owned by the customer.
By being read at 8, it is stored in the main storage device of the mobile information terminal 13.

At this stage, the electronic book 15 stored in the main storage device has the unsettled authentication section 30a. Therefore, as described above, the electronic book 15 is placed, for example, in a situation where only some information is displayed.

Next, the customer browses a part of the information of the electronic book 15 displayed on the portable information terminal 13. At this time, e-book reader 1
When the purchase of No. 5 is decided, the customer goes to the purchase management system 12 installed in a specific place and inputs the electronic book ID or the like on the display / input device 54 of the purchase management system 12 to obtain the desired information. Request payment for an e-book.

When the payment is requested, the purchasing management system 12 performs the payment processing by the selection / payment means 52, and when it is judged that the payment is valid, the purchase management system 12 purchases by the authentication section generation means 53. The completed authentication unit 30b is created. The created authentication unit 30b is recorded in the customer's recording medium 61 via the external storage device 55.

The purchased authentication unit 30b recorded on the recording medium 61 is used as the portable information terminal 13 in which the electronic book 15 is stored.
When read by the external storage device 18 of
As shown in FIG. 7, the unpurchased authentication unit 30a is overwritten on the read purchased authentication unit 30b. Thereby, the customer can browse all the information of the electronic book 15.

Therefore, the electronic book sales system 10 of the present embodiment can be installed by installing the electronic book distribution system 11 and the purchase management system 12 in a highly convenient place such as a bookstore, a station square, or a convenience store. Even if the terminal used by the user is not connected to the communication network, the electronic book can be easily obtained and viewed. The other effects are the same as the effects of the electronic book sales system 10 of the first embodiment.

The various means described in the above embodiments can be made to function as a program on a computer. That is, the display / event management means 21, the input / output management means 22, the restriction means 2 in the electronic book 15.
3 and the collation unit 33 can each function as an electronic book program on a computer.

Further, the communication means 41, the authentication / selection means 42, and the authentication section generation means 4 in the electronic book distribution system 11
3, each of the electronic book generation means 44 and the list creation means 46 can be made to function on a computer as an electronic book distribution program. Further, each of the communication means 51, the selection / settlement means 52, and the authentication section generation means 53 in the purchase management system 12 can be made to function as a purchase management program on a computer.

As a result, the electronic book 15 can be provided as one application program including the electronic book program and various data such as book data, electronic book ID, and settlement status.

At this time, various restrictions for protecting copyright are as independent parts (modules).
It is desirable that it be incorporated into a program that functions as a restriction means. As a result, the content of the constraint can be easily changed for each electronic book 15, and thus the electronic book sales system 10
Flexible operation is possible. The electronic book 15 is Java
In the case of an application program having specifications, the independence of parts is improved, so the electronic book sales system 10
More flexible operation of is possible.

Further, since the authentication unit 30 for releasing the restriction of browsing becomes a program file, it is possible to prevent easy data leakage such as serial number. Also,
Since the process of releasing the restriction of browsing can be performed only by overwriting the program file (authentication unit 30), the customer does not need a high level of skill in operating the terminal.

The electronic book program, the electronic book distribution program, and the purchase management program can be stored in a computer-readable recording medium.
As a result, the function of each unit in the electronic book, the electronic book distribution system, and the purchase management system can be realized on any computer.

[0124]

As described above, the electronic book according to claim 1 has display means for displaying book data in which the content of the book is stored in digital format, and whether the book has not been settled or has been settled. Authentication means for storing the payment status indicating
When the settlement status of the authentication means is unsettled, a restriction means for restricting the display of the book data by the display means is provided.

Thus, even for various books,
It is possible to perform an appropriate display according to the book data. In addition, since various restrictions other than browsing restrictions are applied to the electronic book, various technical resources can be used as restriction means, and the protection of the copyright of the electronic book can be improved. Play.

The display means, the authentication means, and the restriction means in the electronic book can be made to function as an electronic book program on a computer.
Further, by storing the electronic book program in a computer-readable recording medium, it is possible to realize the function of each unit in the electronic book on any computer.

Further, the electronic book providing method according to claim 4 is the electronic book providing method for providing the electronic book according to claim 1 to the user as described above, and the electronic book is provided from the user. Is a method of generating an electronic book in which the unsettled payment status is stored in the authentication means and providing the created electronic book to the user.

As a result, it is possible to satisfy the precondition for selling the electronic book, that is, preventing all contents of the electronic book from being browsed without making payment for the electronic book. Play. Further, the provider of the electronic book does not need to perform the process of releasing the restriction of browsing, so that the processing load can be reduced.

The electronic book providing system according to claim 5 is the electronic book providing system for providing the electronic book according to claim 1 to the user as described above, and the electronic book is provided from the user. An electronic book generation that receives a request to obtain the requested electronic book, and stores an unsettled payment status in the input / output unit that provides the requested electronic book to the user and the authentication unit. And a means.

As a result, it is possible to satisfy the precondition for selling the electronic book, that is, preventing all contents of the electronic book from being browsed without making payment for the electronic book. . Further, since it is not necessary to have a function of releasing the restriction of browsing, it is possible to reduce the burden on the system.

Further, as described above, in the electronic book providing system according to the sixth aspect, in the configuration according to the fifth aspect, the input / output unit communicates with a terminal operated by a user via a communication network. It is a configuration including a communication means for performing.

As a result, the user can obtain the desired electronic book easily at any place where the terminal can be connected to the communication network.

As described above, in the electronic book providing system according to claim 7, in the configuration according to claim 5 or 6, the input / output means is detachable from the input means operated by the user. And an external recording means for recording on another recording medium.

According to this, by installing the electronic book providing system having the above configuration in a highly convenient place, the electronic book can be easily obtained even if the terminal used by the user is not in an environment in which the terminal can be connected to the communication network. Has the effect.

The input / output means and the electronic book generating means can be made to function as an electronic book providing program on a computer. Further, by storing the electronic book providing program in a computer-readable recording medium, it is possible to realize the function of each unit in the electronic book providing system on an arbitrary computer.

Further, the electronic book settlement method according to claim 10 is the electronic book settlement method for performing the electronic book settlement according to claim 1 as described above, wherein the user requests the settlement. When the payment process is received, the payment process is performed, and when the payment process is completed, the authentication means that stores the payment status indicating that the payment is completed is generated and provided to the user.

As a result, there is an effect that it is possible to satisfy the precondition for selling the electronic book that all contents of the electronic book can be browsed after the electronic book is settled. Also, by changing the settlement status to settled, the browsing restriction can be released, so it is not necessary to receive a means for releasing the restriction from the e-book provider, and the processing for releasing the browsing restriction can be performed quickly. There is an effect that can be.

Further, the electronic book payment system according to claim 11 is the electronic book payment system for performing the electronic book payment according to claim 1, as described above, wherein the user requests the payment. Upon receipt of the authentication means, the input / output means for providing the authentication means to the user, the settlement means for performing the settlement processing, and when the settlement processing is completed by the settlement means, the authentication means storing the settlement status indicating that the settlement has been completed is generated. And an authentication generation means for sending to the input / output means.

As a result, there is an effect that it is possible to view all the contents of the electronic book after the payment of the electronic book, which satisfies the precondition for selling the electronic book. Further, since the restriction on browsing can be canceled by changing the settlement status to settled, it is not necessary to receive a means for canceling the constraint from the electronic book providing system, and the settlement and the restriction on browsing can be quickly released. It has the effect of being able to.

As described above, in the electronic book payment system according to the twelfth aspect, in the configuration according to the eleventh aspect, the input / output unit communicates with a terminal operated by a user via a communication network. It is a configuration including a communication means for performing.

As a result, the user can easily obtain the authenticated authentication means at any place where the terminal can be connected to the communication network.

Further, as described above, in the electronic book payment system according to a thirteenth aspect, in the configuration according to the eleventh or twelfth aspect, the input / output means is detachable from the input means operated by the user. And an external recording means for recording on another recording medium.

According to this, by installing the electronic book settlement system having the above-mentioned configuration in a highly convenient place, the settlement means can be easily settled even if the terminal used by the user is not connected to the communication network. There is an effect that can be obtained.

The input / output unit, the settlement unit, and the authentication generation unit can be made to function as an electronic book settlement program on a computer. Further, by storing the electronic book payment program in a computer-readable recording medium, it is possible to realize the function of each unit in the electronic book payment system on an arbitrary computer.

The electronic book selling method in the electronic book selling system according to claim 16 is, as described above, an electronic book providing system for providing a user with the electronic book according to claim 1, and the electronic book. Electronic book sales including an electronic book payment system for making payments, and a reading terminal connected to the electronic book providing system and the electronic book payment system via a communication network, and for allowing a user to browse the electronic book A method of selling an electronic book in a system, wherein when an electronic book providing system receives a request from a user to acquire the electronic book, the electronic book is generated and the browsing is stored in the authentication unit. When the e-book payment system receives the payment request from the user, the payment process is performed and the payment process is completed. When a method of transmitting to the viewing terminal to generate the authentication means for storing payment status indicating settled.

As a result, since the restriction of browsing can be canceled by the electronic book settlement system, the processing load of the electronic book providing system can be reduced, and the processing of canceling the restriction of browsing can be promptly performed after the settlement. There is an effect that can be. Further, since the system for providing the electronic book and the system for releasing the restriction of browsing can be separated, there is an effect that both systems can be flexibly operated.

The electronic book selling system according to claim 17 is, as described above, an electronic book providing system for providing a user with the electronic book according to claim 1, and an electronic book settlement system. An electronic book sales system comprising a book settlement system, a browsing terminal that is connected to the electronic book providing system and the electronic book settlement system via a communication network, and a user browses the electronic book. The electronic book providing system receives a request to acquire the electronic book from a user, and transmits a requested electronic book to the browsing terminal and a settlement status that is not settled to the authentication means. And an electronic book generating unit that stores the requested electronic book, and the electronic book payment system receives the payment request from a user, A communication means for transmitting the authentication means to the browsing terminal; a settlement means for performing the settlement processing; and, when the settlement processing is completed by the settlement means, the settlement status indicating the settlement is stored. Authentication means for generating a means and transmitting the means to the communication means, the browsing terminal receives the authentication means in the electronic book received from the electronic book providing system from the electronic book payment system. This is a configuration including a changing unit that changes to an authenticating unit.

According to this, since the restriction of browsing can be canceled by the electronic book settlement system, the burden on the electronic book providing system can be reduced, and the restriction of browsing can be quickly canceled after settlement. Produce an effect. Further, since the electronic book providing system for providing the electronic book and the system for providing the releasing means for releasing the restriction of browsing can be separated, there is an effect that both systems can be flexibly operated.

The request for acquiring the electronic book or the request for the payment may be transmitted from the browsing terminal, or may be connected to the electronic book providing system and the electronic book payment system via a communication network. It may be transmitted from the terminal.

Further, each of the above means can be made to function on a computer as an electronic book sales program. Further, by storing the electronic book selling program in a computer-readable recording medium, it is possible to realize the function of each unit in the electronic book selling system on an arbitrary computer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic book stored in a portable information terminal in an electronic book selling system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic book selling system of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic book distribution system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a purchase management system in this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic book distribution system in an electronic book sales system which is another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a purchase management system in this embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an operation of updating an authentication unit in an electronic book stored in a mobile information terminal.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 electronic book sales system 11 electronic book distribution system (electronic book providing system) 12 purchasing management system (electronic book settlement system) 15 electronic book 21 display / event management means (display means) 22 input / output management means (display means / restriction means) ) 23 restriction means 24 book data storage unit 30 authentication unit (authentication unit) 31 settlement status storage unit 41 communication unit (input / output unit) 44 electronic book generation unit 47 display / input device (input unit) 48 external storage device (external recording) Means) 51 communication means (input / output means) 52 selection / settlement means (settlement means) 53 authentication unit generation means 54 display / input device (input means) 55 external storage device (external recording means)

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (54) [Title of Invention] Electronic book, electronic book program and its recording medium, electronic book providing method, electronic book providing system                     System, electronic book providing program and its recording medium, electronic book payment method, electronic book payment system,                     Electronic book payment program and its recording medium, electronic book selling method, electronic book selling system,                     And electronic book sales program and its recording medium

Claims (21)

[Claims] 1. A display means for displaying book data in which the contents of a book are stored in a digital format, an authentication means for storing a payment status indicating whether the book is unsettled or has been settled, and the authentication means. And a restricting unit for restricting the display of the book data by the display unit when the payment status is unsettled. 2. An electronic book program for causing a computer to function as the book storage means, display means, authentication means, and restriction means according to claim 1. 3. A computer-readable recording medium in which the electronic book program according to claim 2 is recorded. 4. An electronic book providing method for providing a user with the electronic book according to claim 1, wherein a request for acquiring the electronic book is received from the user.
An electronic book providing method comprising: generating an electronic book in which an unsettled payment status is stored in the authentication means and providing the electronic book to a user. 5. An electronic book providing system for providing the electronic book according to claim 1 to a user, wherein the electronic book providing system receives a request for acquiring the electronic book from the user and the requested electronic book is the user. An electronic book providing system comprising: an input / output unit for providing the electronic book and an electronic book generation unit that stores an unsettled payment status in the authentication unit and generates a requested electronic book. 6. The electronic book providing system according to claim 5, wherein the input / output unit includes a communication unit that communicates with a terminal operated by a user via a communication network. 7. The electronic book providing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the input / output unit includes an input unit operated by a user and an external recording unit for recording on a removable recording medium. system. 8. An electronic book providing program for causing a computer to function as the input / output unit and the electronic book generating unit according to claim 5. 9. A computer-readable recording medium in which the electronic book providing program according to claim 8 is recorded. 10. An electronic book settlement method for performing settlement of an electronic book according to claim 1, wherein when a settlement request is received from a user, a settlement process is performed, and when the settlement process is completed, the settlement is completed. An electronic book payment method, characterized in that the authentication means storing the payment status shown is generated and provided to a user. 11. An electronic book payment system for making payment for an electronic book according to claim 1, comprising an input / output means for receiving the payment request from a user and providing the authentication means to the user. A payment means for performing payment processing, and an authentication generation means for generating, when the payment processing is completed by the payment means, the authentication means storing a payment status indicating that the payment has been completed and sending the authentication means to the input / output means. E-book payment system to do. 12. The electronic book payment system according to claim 11, wherein the input / output unit includes a communication unit that communicates with a terminal operated by a user via a communication network. 13. The electronic book payment according to claim 11, wherein the input / output unit includes an input unit operated by a user and an external recording unit for recording on a removable recording medium. system. 14. A computer according to any one of claims 11 to 13.
An electronic book settlement program for functioning as the input / output unit, the settlement unit, and the authentication generation unit according to any one of the above. 15. A computer-readable recording medium in which the electronic book payment program according to claim 14 is recorded. 16. An electronic book providing system for providing a user with the electronic book according to claim 1, an electronic book payment system for making a payment for the electronic book, the electronic book providing system, and the electronic book payment system. An electronic book selling method in an electronic book selling system, comprising: a browsing terminal which is connected through a communication network and which allows a user to browse the electronic book, wherein the electronic book providing system provides the electronic book from the user. When receiving the request to acquire, the authentication means generates the electronic book in which the unsettled payment status is stored and transmits the electronic book to the browsing terminal, and when the electronic book payment system receives the payment request from the user, Perform the payment process, and once the payment process is complete,
An electronic book selling method in an electronic book selling system, characterized in that the authentication means storing a payment status indicating that payment has been completed is generated and transmitted to the browsing terminal. 17. An electronic book providing system for providing a user with the electronic book according to claim 1, an electronic book payment system for making payment for the electronic book, an electronic book providing system, and the electronic book payment system. An electronic book sales system comprising a browsing terminal which is connected via a communication network and which allows a user to browse the electronic book, wherein the electronic book providing system is a request for acquiring the electronic book from a user. Communication means for receiving the requested electronic book and transmitting the requested electronic book to the browsing terminal; and an electronic book generation means for storing the unsettled payment status in the authentication means to generate the requested electronic book. The electronic book payment system includes a communication unit that receives the payment request from the user and that transmits the authentication unit to the browsing terminal. A payment means for performing the payment processing, and when the payment processing is completed by the payment means,
An authentication generation unit that generates the authentication unit that stores a payment status indicating that the payment has been completed and transmits the authentication unit to the communication unit; and the browsing terminal, the authentication in the electronic book received from the electronic book providing system. An electronic book selling system, comprising: changing means for changing the means to the authentication means received from the electronic book payment system. 18. The electronic book selling system according to claim 17, wherein the browsing terminal transmits a request for acquiring the electronic book or a request for the settlement. 19. A terminal further connected to the electronic book providing system and the electronic book payment system via a communication network, the terminal transmitting a request for acquiring the electronic book or a request for the payment. The electronic book sales system according to claim 17, wherein 20. A computer according to any one of claims 17 to 19.
An electronic book sales program for functioning as each unit according to any one of 1. 21. A computer-readable recording medium on which the electronic book sales program according to claim 20 is recorded.