Information distributing apparatus, information storing apparatus, and information providing system

• US 20010018706A1
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Published: 08/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takagi, Toshimasa, Ando, Atsushi, Inoue, Akino, Oka, Toshio
• Application Number:
  US09/726,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20010018706A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

An information providing apparatus is realized: That is, in such a case that information is distributed/provided and this information is constituted by information formed by an information provider and also additional information such as an advertisement selected by the information provider, a use fee charged to the information provider can be reduced and/or increased based upon the additional information. Furthermore, since an information consumer refers to the additional information, a use fee charged to the information provider can be reduced and/or increased based on the additional information. The information providing apparatus is comprised of: a reception unit for receiving information to be provided; an information storage unit for storing thereinto the received information; a charge calculation unit for calculating a charge amount in accordance with additional information owned by the information by analyzing the information stored in the information storage unit, or for calculating a charge amount based upon a reference result of the additional information; a charge data storage unit for storing thereinto the calculated charge amount. Furthermore, the information providing apparatus is provided with a reference record storage unit, a reference base, and a reference control unit for providing the information stored in the information storage unit in response to a request, and also for producing such a signal for notifying the reference of the additional information.

Claims

1. An information distributing apparatus comprising:

a reception unit for receiving information;

an information storage unit for storing thereinto said received information;

a transmission unit for transmitting information stored in said information storage unit to a designated providing destination;

a charge calculation unit for calculating a charge amount in accordance with additional information owned by said transmitted information; and

a charge data storage unit for storing thereinto charge amount information calculated by said charge calculation unit.

2. An information distributing apparatus comprising:

a reception unit for receiving information;

an information storage unit for storing thereinto said received information;

a transmission unit for transmitting information stored in said information storage unit to a designated providing destination;

a reference information reception unit for receiving reference information transmitted from said providing destination;

a charge calculation unit for calculating a charge amount in accordance with additional information owned by said transmitted information and said received reference information; and

a charge data storage unit for storing thereinto charge amount information calculated by said charge calculation unit;

wherein said reference information corresponds to such information related to the reference, which is produced at an arbitrary interval in the case that said providing destination refers to the additional information owned by the information transmitted to said designated providing destination, or irrespective of such a fact that said providing destination does not refer to said additional information.

3. An information storing apparatus comprising:

a reception unit for receiving information;

an information storage unit for storing thereinto said received information;

a reference record storage unit for recording such information related to information which is requested to be referred among the information stored in said information storage unit; and

a reference control unit for providing information in response to said request, and also for producing a signal used to notify a reference of additional information owned by said information which is requested to be referred.

4. An information storing/distributing apparatus comprising:

a reception unit for receiving information;

an information storage unit for storing thereinto said received information;

a reference record storage unit for recording such information related to information which is requested to be referred among the information stored in said information storage unit;

a reference control unit for providing information in response to said request, and also for producing a signal used to notify a reference of additional information owned by said information which is requested to be referred;

a charge calculation unit for calculating a charge amount in accordance with additional information owned by said information which is requested to be referred and also said reference information; and

a charge data storage unit for storing thereinto charge amount information calculated by said charge calculation unit;

wherein said reference information corresponds to such information related to the reference, which is produced at an arbitrary interval in the case that said requesting destination refers to the additional information owned by the information transmitted to said designated requesting destination, or irrespective of such a fact that said requesting destination does not refer to said additional information.

5. An information providing system comprising:

an information storing/distributing apparatus including;

a reception unit for receiving information;

an information storage unit for storing thereinto said received information;

a reference record storage unit for recording such information related to information which is requested to be referred among the information stored in said information storage unit;

a reference control unit for providing information in response to said request, and also for producing a signal used to notify a reference of additional information owned by said information which is requested to be referred;

a charge calculation unit for calculating a charge amount in accordance with additional information owned by said information which is requested to be referred and also said reference information; and

a charge data storage unit for storing thereinto charge amount information calculated by said charge calculation unit;

wherein said reference information corresponds to such information related to the reference, which is produced at an arbitrary interval in the case that said requesting destination refers to the additional information owned by the information transmitted to said designated requesting destination, or irrespective of such a fact that said requesting destination does not refer to said additional information;

an information producing apparatus for producing information which is provided via a network to said information storing/distributing apparatus; and

an information reproducing apparatus for arbitrarily selecting the information saved in said information storing/distributing apparatus via the network to reproduce and display the arbitrarily and selectively received information.

6. An information providing system comprising:

an information distributing apparatus including;

a reception unit for receiving information;

an information storage unit for storing thereinto said received information;

a transmission unit for transmitting information stored in said information storage unit to a designated providing destination;

a reference information reception unit for receiving reference information transmitted from said providing destination;

a charge calculation unit for calculating a charge amount in accordance with additional information owned by said transmitted information and said received reference information; and

a charge data storage unit for storing thereinto charge amount information calculated by said charge calculation unit;

wherein said reference information corresponds to such information related to the reference, which is produced at an arbitrary interval in the case that said providing destination refers to the additional information owned by the information transmitted to said designated providing destination, or irrespective of such a fact that said providing destination does not refer to said additional information;

an information storing apparatus including;

a reception unit for receiving information;

an information storage unit for storing thereinto said received information;

a reference record storage unit for recording such information related to information which is requested to be referred among the information stored in said information storage unit; and

a reference control unit for providing information in response to said request, and also for producing a signal used to notify a reference of additional information owned by said information which is requested to be referred;

an information producing apparatus for producing information which is provided via a network to said information storing/distributing apparatus; and

an information reproducing apparatus for arbitrarily selecting the information saved in said information storing/distributing apparatus via the network to reproduce and display the arbitrarily and selectively received information.