System, method and apparatus for banner advertising capable of allowing easy handling of a banner advertisement

• US 8,862,501 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kanbara, Kohji
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMPAGNE, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US10/670,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20040117258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,036 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/14.69, 705/14.73
• US Class Current: 705/14.69
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A banner advertisement system includes an advertisement terminal, a banner advertisement server, and an image forming apparatus. The advertisement terminal generates a banner advertisement. The banner advertisement server distributes the banner advertisement generated by the advertiser terminal. The image forming apparatus includes a displaying mechanism for displaying the banner advertisement distributed by the banner advertisement server and a response sending mechanism for sending to the advertiser terminal at least one of an order and an inquiry for at least one of a product and services offered by the banner advertisement displayed on the displaying mechanism.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a communications interface configured to communicate with a banner advertiser and an image forming apparatus via a network;

a distributing server configured to distribute banner advertisements from the banner advertiser to the image forming apparatus, for storage in the image forming apparatus;

a counter database configured to store a number of banner advertisements displayed at the image forming apparatus; and

a charging server configured to charge a fee to the banner advertiser based on the number of banner advertisements displayed at the image forming apparatus.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an ordering data collector configured to collect data of a number of advertised products or services ordered from the image forming apparatus in response to displayed banner advertisements for a corresponding products or services.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, the charging server further configured to charge a fee to the image forming apparatus based on the number of banner advertisements displayed at the image forming apparatus, wherein the fee to the image forming apparatus is discounted based on the number of advertised products or services ordered from the image forming apparatus.

4. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

communications interfacing means for communicating with a banner advertiser and an image forming apparatus via a network;

means for distributing banner advertisements from the banner advertiser to the image forming apparatus, for storage in the image forming apparatus;

means for storing a number of banner advertisements displayed at the image forming apparatus; and

means for charging a fee to the banner advertiser based on the number of banner advertisements displayed at the image forming apparatus.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

means for collecting data of a number of advertised products or services ordered from the image forming apparatus in response to displayed banner advertisements for a corresponding products or services.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, the means for charging further charging a fee to the image forming apparatus based on the number of banner advertisements displayed at the image forming apparatus, wherein the fee to the image forming apparatus is discounted based on the number of advertised products or services ordered from the image forming apparatus.

7. A banner advertisement method, comprising steps of:

providing an information processing apparatus;

connecting the information processing apparatus to a banner advertiser and an image forming apparatus via a network;

distributing banner advertisements to the image forming apparatus, for storage in the image forming apparatus, from the banner advertiser via the information processing apparatus;

displaying, at the image forming apparatus, a number of banner advertisements stored in the image forming apparatus, when the image forming apparatus is in a non-operative state; and

charging, by the information processing apparatus, a fee to the banner advertiser based on the number of banner advertisements displayed at the image forming apparatus.

8. The banner advertisement method according to claim 7, further comprising:

the image forming apparatus ordering a number of advertised products or services based on banner advertisements displayed at the image forming apparatus; and

the information processing apparatus collecting data of the number of advertised products or services ordered at the image forming apparatus.

9. The banner advertisement method according to claim 8, the charging by the information processing apparatus including charging a fee to the image forming apparatus based on the number of banner advertisements displayed at the image forming apparatus, wherein the fee to the image forming apparatus is discounted based on the number of advertised products or services ordered from the image forming apparatus.