Information image providing system, information image management server, and client

• US 20040015492A1
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Fujita, Takeshi, Sato, Yutaka, Kanai, Seiji, Hatta, Nariaki, Fujikawa, Yasufumi, Endoh, Hitoshi, Tsuyama, Fumio, Kobayashi, Mariko, Makiyama, Ryota
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system having an information image management server, an advertising agency terminal and a client computer connected with one another via a network, in which the information image management server extracted a client computer which meets a client specifying condition on the basis of client specifying condition information from the advertising agency terminal, then a message to carry out update or addition of an information image recorded in a management area of the extracted client computer is transmitted to the extracted client, and the client computer which has received the message carries out update or addition of an information image in accordance with the message.

Claims

1. An information providing system comprising a client computer, an information image management server, and an advertising agency terminal, the information providing system being adapted for providing information to a specific client computer which meets a search condition inputted from the advertising agency terminal, wherein

the client computer comprises a management area in which an information image including image information and related information prescribing at least specific processing, packaged to be handled in one unit, transmitted from an information image management server, can be recorded, the recorded information image can be displayed, and the proper processing according to the related information specified by an operator by using the displayed information image as a key can be carried out,

the advertising agency terminal comprises a client specifying condition information processing unit for prompting input of client specifying condition information including a condition for specifying a client computer as a target of update or addition of a specific information image, sending the client specifying condition information to the information image management server, and generating a notification to permit update or addition of an information image at the client computer, and

the information image management server comprises a client information recording unit for recording, for each client computer, attribute information about the client computer, a client extracting unit for searching the client information recording unit and extracts a client computer which meets the condition in accordance with the client specifying condition information from the advertising agency terminal, and an information image update unit for carrying out update or addition of an information image recorded in the management area for the extracted client computer.

2. The information providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information image management server further comprises an extracted client information providing unit for generating extracted client information about the extracted client computer and sending the extracted client information to the advertising agency terminal, and

the information image update unit of the information image management server carries out update or addition of an information image if it has received a notification to permit update or addition of an information image from the advertising agency terminal.

3. The information providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the management area of the client computer sends the attribute information about the client computer to the information image management server.

4. An information image management server for extracting a client computer which meets a client specifying condition on the basis of client specifying condition information from an advertising agency terminal, and carrying out update or addition of an information image including image information and related information prescribing at least specific processing, packaged to be handled in one unit, recorded in a management area for the extracted client computer.

5. The information image management server as claimed in claim 4, wherein extracted client information about the extracted client computer is generated, the extracted client information is sent to the advertising agency terminal, and update of an information image is executed if a notification to permit update or addition of an information image is received from the advertising agency terminal which received the extracted client information.

6. The information image management server as claimed in claim 4, further comprising an attribute information recording unit for recording attribute information of the client computer in association with client information.

7. An information image management method comprising:

a first step of, if client specifying condition information including a condition for specifying a client computer is received, searching a client information recording unit in which attributes of a client computer are recorded in advance on the basis of the client specifying condition information, and acquiring client specifying information which meets the condition; and

a second step of executing update or addition of an information image on the basis of information image update information and the client specifying information.

8. The information image management method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a third step of generating extracted client information on the basis of the client specifying information, supplying the extracted client information to an advertising agency terminal, and carrying out update or addition of an information image if a notification to permit update or addition of an information image is received from the advertising agency terminal which received the extracted client information.

9. The information image management method as claimed in claim 7, comprising a preceding step of acquiring attribute information about the client computer and recording the attribute information in association with the client specifying information.

10. A computer-readable recording medium in which an information image management program is recorded, the information image management program causing a computer to execute an information image management method comprising:

a first step of, if client specifying condition information including a condition for specifying a client computer is received, searching a client information recording unit in which attributes of a client computer are recorded in advance on the basis of the client specifying condition information, and acquiring client specifying information which meets the condition; and

a second step of executing update or addition of an information image on the basis of information image update information and the client specifying information.

11. A computer-readable recording medium in which an information image management program is recorded, the information image management program causing a computer to execute an information image management method comprising:

a first step of, if client specifying condition information including a condition for specifying a client computer is received, searching a client information recording unit in which attributes of a client computer are recorded in advance on the basis of the client specifying condition information, and acquiring client specifying information which meets the condition;

a second step of executing update or addition of an information image on the basis of information image update information and the client specifying information; and

a third step of generating extracted client information on the basis of the client specifying information, supplying the extracted client information to an advertising agency terminal, and carrying out update or addition of an information image if a notification to permit update or addition of an information image is received from the advertising agency terminal which received the extracted client information.

12. A computer-readable recording medium in which an information image management program is recorded, the information image management program causing a computer to execute an information image management method comprising:

a preceding step of acquiring attribute information about a client computer and recording the attribute information in association with client specifying information;

a first step of, if client specifying condition information including a condition for specifying a client computer is received, searching a client information recording unit in which attributes of a client computer are recorded in advance on the basis of the client specifying condition information, and acquiring client specifying information which meets the condition; and

a second step of executing update or addition of an information image on the basis of information image update information and the client specifying information.

13. A client computer for updating an information image in accordance with information image update information,

the client computer comprising a management area in which an information image including image information and related information prescribing at least specific processing, packaged to be handled in one unit, transmitted from an information image management server, can be recorded, the recorded information image can be displayed, and the proper processing according to the related information specified by an operator by using the displayed information image as a key can be carried out,

the management area comprising:

an information image recording unit for recording an information image;

an information image recording notifying unit for generating and sending information image recording notification information for notifying of the information image recorded in the information image recording unit; and

an information image update executive unit for receiving information image update information generated on the basis of the information image recording notification information and updating the information image recorded in the information image recording unit on the basis of the information image update information.

14. The client computer as claimed in claim 13, wherein the management area further comprises an attribute information acquiring unit for acquiring attribute information about the client computer and providing the attribute information.

15. A recording medium in which an information image management program is recorded, the information image management program causing a computer to constitute a client computer comprising a management area in which an information image including image information and related information prescribing at least specific processing, packaged to be handled in one unit, transmitted from an information image management server, can be recorded, the recorded information image can be displayed, and the proper processing according to the related information specified by an operator by using the displayed information image as a key can be carried out, wherein the management area comprises:

an information image recording unit for recording an information image;

an information image recording notifying unit for generating and sending information image recording notification information for notifying of the information image recorded in the information image recording unit; and

an information image update executive unit for receiving information image update information generated on the basis of the information image recording notification information and updating the information image recorded in the information image recording unit on the basis of the information image update information.

16. A recording medium in which an information image management program is recorded, the information image management program causing a computer to constitute a client computer comprising a management area in which an information image including image information and related information prescribing at least specific processing, packaged to be handled in one unit, transmitted from an information image management server, can be recorded, the recorded information image can be displayed, and the proper processing according to the related information specified by an operator by using the displayed information image as a key can be carried out, wherein the management area comprises:

an information image recording unit for recording an information image;

an information image recording notifying unit for generating and sending information image recording notification information for notifying of the information image recorded in the information image recording unit;

an information image update executive unit for receiving information image update information generated on the basis of the information image recording notification information and updating the information image recorded in the information image recording unit on the basis of the information image update information; and

an attribute information acquiring unit for acquiring attribute information about the client and providing the attribute information.

17. An advertising agency terminal for requesting an information image management server to update an information image in an information image management system, the advertising agency terminal comprising:

a client specifying condition information processing unit for generating client specifying condition information including a condition for specifying a client computer, and sending the client specifying condition information to the information image management server;

an extracted client information providing unit for receiving, from the information image management server, extracted client information generated on the basis of the client specifying condition information, and displaying the extracted client information; and

an information image update decision notifying unit for notifying the information image management server of a decision of update or addition of an information image based on the extracted client information.

18. A recording medium in which an information image management program is recorded, the information image management program causing a computer to constitute an advertising agency terminal comprising:

a client specifying condition information processing unit for generating client specifying condition information including a condition for specifying a client computer, and sending the client specifying condition information to an information image management server;

an extracted client information providing unit for receiving, from the information image management server, extracted client information generated on the basis of the client specifying condition information, and displaying the extracted client information; and

an information image update decision notifying unit for notifying the information image management server of a decision of update or addition of an information image based on the extracted client information.

19. An information image management server comprising:

a client extracting unit for extracting a client computer which meets a client specifying condition on the basis of client specifying condition information from an advertising agency terminal; and

an information image update unit for carrying out update or addition of an information image including image information and related information prescribing at least specific processing, packaged to be handled in one unit, recorded in a management area for the extracted client computer.

20. The information image management server as claimed in claim 19, further comprising an extracted client information providing unit for generating extracted client information about the extracted client computer and sending the extracted client information to the advertising agency terminal,

wherein the information image update unit executes update or addition of an information image if it has received a notification to permit update or addition of an information image from the advertising agency terminal which received the extracted client information.