Sales activity management system, sales activity management apparatus, and sales activity management method

• US 20010047277A1
• Filed: 03/28/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawai, Eiji
• Granted Patent: US 6,910,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

To automatically manage payment of charge produced between an apparatus manufacturer and an information provider, and to promote sales of an information processing apparatus and information contents.

There are provided: a terminal device 11 to managed so as to manufacture and manage an information processing apparatus 16 and so as to sell to a user 14 an information processing apparatus at a price lower than a desired sales price of an apparatus manufacturer 15; a terminal device 12 managed so as to provide to the user 14 available information contents 18 at the information processing apparatus 16, and then, collect charge; and a sales activity management apparatus 13 for managing the terminal devices 11 and 12 based on a license agreement made in advance between an apparatus manufacturer 15 and an information provider 17, wherein this sales activity management apparatus 13 issues an instruction for the terminal device 12 to return to the terminal device 11 an amount of money corresponding to a difference produced because the apparatus manufacturer 15 has provided the information processing apparatus 16 to the user 14 at a low price according to an amount of money for a charge collected from the user 14.

Claims

1. A sales activity management system for selling an information processing apparatus from an apparatus manufacturer to a user, and selling available information contents at the information processing apparatus from an information provider to the user, said activity management system characterized by comprising:

an apparatus manufacture management terminal device for managing manufacture of said information processing apparatus, and managing a sales price of said apparatus manufacturer;

an information provision management terminal device managed as to provide a user with, available information contents at said information processing apparatus, and to collect a charge; and

a sales activity management apparatus for setting an amount of money to be remitted to said manufacture according to charge information inputted from said information provision terminal device.

2. A sales activity management system as claimed in

claim 1

, characterized in that said sales activity management apparatus sets the sales price of said information processing apparatus according to an amount of money for the charge collected from said user.

3. A sales activity management system as claimed in

claim 1

, characterized in that a license agreement is made with respect to sales of an information processing apparatus and information contents between said apparatus manufacturer and information provider.

4. A sales activity management system as claimed in

claim 1

, characterized in that essential parts of said information processing apparatus are manufactured, and there is provided a part manufacture management terminal device for managing a sales price of a part manufacturer.

5. A sales activity management system as claimed in

claim 4

, characterized in that said sales activity management apparatus sets the sales price of said essential parts according to an amount of money for the charge collected from said user.

6. A sales activity management system as claimed in

claim 1

, characterized in that a license agreement is made with respect to sales of the essential parts, information processing apparatus and information contents among said part manufacturer, apparatus manufacturer, and information provider.

7. A sales activity management system as claimed in

claim 1

, characterized in that said information provider is a broadcasting service provider for providing charged information contents to said user, and collecting a reception charge from the user.

8. A sales activity management system as claimed in

claim 1

, characterized in that said information provider is a communication service provider that collects a base charge and an actual telephone call charge from the user.

9. A sales activity management system as claimed in

claim 1

, characterized in that said information provider is an information medium sales provider that provides an information medium having information contents recorded therein to said user, and collects a payment of a product from the user.

10. A sales activity management system as claimed in

claim 1

, characterized in that said apparatus manufacture management terminal device, information provision management terminal device and sales activity management apparatus are connected to each other by communication means, integrally managing delivery information concerning the number of deliveries for said essential parts, sales information concerning the sales quantity of said information processing apparatus and use information concerning a use quantity of said information contents.

11. A sales activity management system as claimed in

claim 10

, characterized in that Internet, telephone lines, satellite lines or dedicated communication line is used for said communication means.

12. A sales activity management apparatus for managing businesses for selling an information processing apparatus from an apparatus manufacturer to a user, and selling available information contents at the information processing apparatus from an information provider to the user, said apparatus characterized by comprising:

input means for inputting sales information concerning sales quantity of said information processing apparatus and use information on said information contents; and

storage means for storing the sales information on information processing apparatus and use information on said information contents that have been inputted by said input means; and

management control means for setting an amount of money remitted to said apparatus manufacturer according to said sales information and said use information that have been stored in said storage means.

13. A sales activity management apparatus as claimed in

claim 12

, characterized in that said management control means sets the sales price of said information processing apparatus according to an amount of money for the charge collected from said user.

14. A sales activity management apparatus as claimed in

claim 12

, characterized in that essential parts to be incorporated in said information processing apparatus are supplied from a part manufacturer.

15. A sales activity management apparatus as claimed in

claim 14

, characterized in that said management control means sets the sales price of said essential parts according to an amount of money for the charge collected from said user.

16. A sales activity management method for selling an information processing apparatus from an apparatus manufacturer to a user, and selling available information contents at the information processing apparatus from the information provider to the user, characterized by comprising:

making a license agreement in advance with respect to sales of said information processing apparatus and information contents between said apparatus manufacturer and information provider;

managing manufacture of said information processing apparatus, and selling said information processing apparatus to a user at the sales price of said apparatus manufacturer;

providing available information contents at said information processing apparatus, and then, collecting a charge; and

setting an amount of money to be remitted to said apparatus manufacturer according to an amount of money for the charge collected from said user.

17. A sales activity management method as claimed in

claim 16

, characterized in that a license agreement is made with respect to sales of essential parts, an information processing apparatus and information contents among the part manufacturer for manufacturing essential parts of said information processing apparatus, said apparatus manufacturer and information provider.

18. A sales activity management method as claimed in

claim 16

, characterized in that essential parts to be incorporated in said information processing apparatus are supplied from a part manufacturer to said apparatus manufacturer.

19. A sales activity management method as claimed in

claim 18

, wherein said management control means sets the sales price of said essential parts according to an amount of money collected from said user.

20. A sales activity management method as claimed in

claim 16

, characterized in that said information provider is a broadcast service provider that provides charged information contents to said user, and collects a reception charge from the user.

21. A sales activity management method as claimed in

claim 16

, characterized in that said information provider is a communication service provider that collects a base charge and an actual telephone call charge from the user.

22. A sales activity management method as claimed in

claim 16

, characterized in that said information provider is an information medium sales provider that manufactures and sells an information medium having information contents recorded therein to said user, and collects a payment of a product from the user.

23. A sales activity management method for managing businesses for selling an information processing apparatus from an apparatus manufacturer to a user, and selling available information contents at the information processing apparatus from an information provider to the user, said method characterized by comprising:

inputting sales information concerning sales quantity of said information processing apparatus and use information on said information contents; and

storing the sales information on information processing apparatus and use information on said information contents that have been inputted by said input means; and

setting an amount of money remitted to said apparatus manufacturer according to said sales information and said use information that have been stored in said storage means.

24. A sales activity management method as claimed in

claim 23

, characterized in that said management control means sets the sales price of said information processing apparatus according to an amount of money for the charge collected from said user.

25. A sales activity management method as claimed in

claim 23

, characterized in that essential parts to be incorporated in said information processing apparatus are supplied from a part manufacturer.

26. A sales activity management method as claimed in

claim 24

, characterized in that said setting step sets the sales price of said essential parts according to an amount of money for the charge collected from said user.