Data providing system, data providing apparatus and method, data acquisition system and method, and program storage medium

• US 6,993,553 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2001
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kaneko, Jun, Kamoto, Satoru, Kohno, Michinari, Fujii, Katsushi, Nagano, Naoki, Shinoda, Mayumi, Fuse, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US10/017,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20020107737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/226, 709/201, 709/227, 713/165, 713/201, 705/14
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A data providing system including a data providing apparatus having a provision image data generating device for generating data of a provision image that is reusable by inlaying an advertisement image into a template image into which a user image is inlaid and a providing-side transmitting device for transmitting the provision image data via a network. A data acquisition apparatus has an acquiring-side receiving device for receiving the provision image data via the network, a transmission image data generating device for generating data of a transmission image for displaying the provision image onto a display device, inlaying the user image into the template image of the provision image, and displaying the user image with the template image in preference to the advertisement image until the user image is detached from the template image, and a acquiring-side transmitting device for transmitting the transmission image data to a destination.

Claims

1. A data providing system, comprising:

a data providing apparatus, having;

issuing means for issuing an identifier to each of a template image into which a predetermined user image can be inlaid as superimposed upon a predetermined advertisement image and an advertisement image;

provision image data generating means for generating provision image data of a provision image with said advertisement image inlaid into said template image; and

providing-side transmitting means for transmitting said provision image data and said identifier corresponding to said provision image data via a network;

a data acquiring apparatus, having;

acquiring-side receiving means for receiving said provision image data and said identifier from said network;

transmission image data generating means for generating transmission image data by manipulating said provision image by presenting said provision image based on said provision image data displayed on predetermined display means and then inlaying said user image into said template image of said provision image as superimposed upon said advertisement image so that said user image is displayed in preference to said advertisement image; and

acquiring-side transmitting means for adding said received identifier to said transmission image data and transmitting said resulting transmission image data to a predetermined destination via said network; and

a fee-charge processing apparatus;

having;

fee-charge receiving means for receiving said transmission image data added with said identifier being transmitted once every time said transmission image data added with said identifier are transmitted from said data acquiring apparatus to said predetermined destination via said network; and

fee-charge processing means for computing a template usage fee to be paid to a creator of said template image by counting a number of times said template image corresponding to said identifier added to said transmission image data has been used for displaying said advertisement image at said generation of said transmission image data.

2. The data providing system according to claim 1, wherein said fee-charge processing means counts the number of times said advertisement image corresponding to said identifier added to said transmission image data has been displayed for product advertisement at the generation of said transmission image data and computes an advertisement fee to be bil1ed to an advertiser in accordance with the usage count to divert a part of said

advertisement fee to said template usage fee to be paid to said creator of said template image.

3. A data providing method, comprising the steps of:

issuing an identifier to each of a template image into which a predetermined user image can be inlaid as superimposed upon a predetermined advertisement image and an advertisement image;

generating provision image data of a provision image with said advertisement image inlaid into said template image;

transmitting said provision image data and said identifier corresponding to said provision image data via a network;

receiving said provision image data and said identifier from said network;

generating transmission image data by manipulating said provision image by presenting said provision image based on said provision image data being displayed and then inlaying said user image into said template image of said provision image as superimposed upon said advertisement image so that said user image is displayed in preference to said advertisement image;

adding said received identifier to said transmission image data and transmitting said resulting transmission image data to a predetermined destination via said network;

receiving said transmission image data added with said identifier being transmitted once every time said transmission image data added with said identifier are transmitted to said predetermined destination via said network; and

computing a template usage fee to be paid to a creator of said template image by counting a number of times said template image corresponding to said identifier added to said transmission image data has been used for displaying said advertisement image at said generation of said transmission image data.

4. The data providing method according to claim 3, wherein said step of computing counts the number of times said advertisement image corresponding to said identifier added to said transmission image data has been displayed for product advertisement at the generation of said transmission image data and computes an advertisement fee to be billed to an advertiser in accordance with the usage count to divert a part of said advertisement fee to said template usage fee to be paid to said creator of said template image.

5. A data providing system, comprising:

a data providing apparatus, having;

an issuing unit for issuing an identifier to each of a template image into which a predetermined user image can be inlaid as superimposed upon a predetermined advertisement image and an advertisement image;

a provision image data generator for generating provision image data of a provision image with said advertisement image inlaid into said template image; and

a providing-side transmitter for transmitting said provision image data and said identifier corresponding to said provision image data via a network;

a data acquiring apparatus, having;

an acquiring-side receiver for receiving said provision image data and said identifier from said network;

a transmission image data generator for generating transmission image data by manipulating said provision image by presenting said provision image based on said provision image data displayed on a predetermined display and then inlaying said user image into said template image of said provision image as superimposed upon said advertisement image so that said user image is displayed in preference to said advertisement image; and

an acquiring-side transmitter for adding said received identifier to said transmission image data and transmitting said resulting transmission image data to a predetermined destination via said network; and

a fee-charge processing apparatus;

having;

a fee-charge receiver for receiving said transmission image data added with said identifier being transmitted once every time said transmission image data added with said identifier are transmitted from said data acquiring apparatus to said predetermined destination via said network; and

a fee-charge processor for computing a template usage fee to be paid to a creator of said template image by counting a number of times said template image corresponding to said identifier added to said transmission image data has been used for displaying said advertisement image at said generation of said transmission image data.

6. The data providing system according to claim 5, wherein said fee-charge processor counts the number of times said advertisement image corresponding to said identifier added to said transmission image data has been displayed for product advertisement at the generation of said transmission image data and computes an advertisement fee to be billed to an advertiser in accordance with the usage count to divert a part of said advertisement fee to said template usage fee to be paid to said creator of said template image.