JPH10162081A - Product information presentation system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To efficiently use multimedia product information via a plurality of different media. SOLUTION: A DTP processing apparatus 10 for creating a catalog of a paper medium, an electronic catalog creating apparatus 20 for creating a catalog of a CD-ROM medium, a homepage creating apparatus 30 for presenting product information via the Internet, and creating presentation materials. Presentation device 40,
Is used to present product information. Multimedia product information including characters, images, and sounds is stored as a database in the storage unit 110, and is centrally managed by the product information management unit 120. For example, when there is a request for specific product information from the electronic catalog creation device 20, the product information searched by the product information search means 130 is converted by the data format conversion means 140 into the electronic catalog creation device 2.
After being converted into a data format conforming to 0, it is supplied by the commodity information supply unit 150.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a merchandise information presentation system, and more particularly to a merchandise information presentation system capable of presenting merchandise information to various media using so-called multimedia such as characters, images, and voices. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the spread of computers, characters,
So-called multimedia technology capable of freely processing and presenting information of various attributes such as images and sounds has been advanced, and this technology has been actively adopted in the field of product sales. For example, flyers and product catalogs for product advertisements have conventionally been generally provided on paper media, but recently, means for presenting product information using various media other than paper have begun to spread. I have. Specifically, provision of an electronic catalog using a CD-ROM as a medium, provision of a product advertisement using the Internet as a medium, and the like are performed. When using a paper medium, available product information is limited to forms such as characters, figures, and photographs. However, when a CD-ROM or the Internet is used as a medium, not only still images such as photographs, but also moving images and Commodity information in the form of voice can also be used, and the method for expressing commodities will be greatly expanded.

[0003]

As described above, at present, various media are used to present product information. When the product information is presented through these various media, the product information is prepared as digital data having a predetermined data format, but different data formats are usually required for each medium. . For example, when a still image (for example, a photograph) of a certain product is presented via a paper catalog, a unique data format (for example, a DTP (Desk Top Publishing) processing device required to create a printing plate for the catalog) is required. TIFF format, PIC
T format, EPS format, etc.), and when presenting through a catalog on a CD-ROM medium, unique data required by software for reproducing the CD-ROM is required. You need to prepare this still image in a format. Also, when presenting via the Internet, it is necessary to prepare a still image in a data format (for example, JPEG format) conforming to the Internet protocol. Unique data formats are required not only for still images but also for characters, moving images, figures, sounds, and the like.

As described above, at present, since merchandise information in different data formats is required for each medium, independent merchandise information presenting means is used for each medium. For example, in order to create a catalog of a paper medium, a DTP processing apparatus is used, and a CD-R is used.
An electronic catalog creation device is used to create a catalog of an OM medium, and a homepage creation device is used to present information via the Internet. Since each of these devices handles product information in its own data format, it is difficult to divert the product information between devices, and when presenting the same product information via a plurality of different media. Even so, it is necessary to prepare data separately for each individual device, and it is necessary to perform extremely inefficient work.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a product information presentation system capable of efficiently executing a task of presenting the same product information via a plurality of different media.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

(1) A first aspect of the present invention is directed to a product information presentation system capable of presenting product information via a plurality of different media, wherein a plurality of product information items presenting product information via mutually different media are provided. Presenting means, storage means for associating product information for each product and holding in the form of a database, product information management means for managing product information for this database, and specific product information When a request for product information is received, the product information search means for searching for the corresponding product information from the database, and the data format of the product information searched by the product information search means are changed to the data format requested by the product information presentation means. A data format conversion means for converting the data format of the retrieved product information to the requested data format if the product information does not match; Product information supply means for supplying the product information retrieved by the search means or the product information converted by the data format conversion means to the product information presentation means.

(2) The second aspect of the present invention is the above-mentioned first aspect.
In the merchandise information presentation system according to the aspect, in the database, together with the original merchandise information, thinning information obtained by performing an information amount thinning process on the original merchandise information is prepared. The information supply means can selectively supply original product information or thinning information in response to a request from the product information presentation means.

(3) A third aspect of the present invention is the above-described first aspect.
Alternatively, in the product information presentation system according to the second aspect, a predetermined data format is defined in advance as a common data format as a data format of the product information, and when new product information is added to the database, product information management is performed. The product information in the data format at the time of input as it is input from the means is stored in the storage means, and if the data format at the time of input is not a common data format, the data is converted to the common data format. The product information is also stored in the storage means, and when it is necessary to convert the data format in response to a request from the specific product information presenting means, the data format conversion means uses the product information of the common data format. Is configured to be able to execute conversion.

(4) The fourth aspect of the present invention is the above-mentioned first aspect.
In the merchandise information presentation system according to the third aspect, the merchandise information searching means stores a history of search processing executed in the past, and has a function of executing a new search processing using this history. Things.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on an embodiment shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a product information presentation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. This system includes four product information presentation means 10
40 and one server device 100 are provided, and data can be exchanged between the two via the data exchange means 200.

The four product information presenting means 10 to 40 have a function of presenting product information via different media. That is, the product information presentation means 10
It is configured by a TP processing device (actually, a device in which application software and peripheral devices for DTP processing are incorporated in a general-purpose computer), and has a function of presenting product information via a flyer catalog on a paper medium.
Specifically, it has a function of allocating product information including a photograph of a product and a description on a display screen and outputting a plate making film.

On the other hand, the merchandise information presenting means 20 is provided with an electronic catalog creating apparatus (actually, a general-purpose computer is provided with application software for creating an electronic catalog or a CD-R).
OM writer and other peripheral devices) and has a function of presenting product information via a flyer / catalog on a CD-ROM medium. Specifically, it has a function of allocating product information including a product photograph and a description on a display screen and writing the product information on a CD-ROM medium. Also, on a CD-ROM medium, it is possible to present merchandise information in the form of a moving image or audio.

The product information presenting means 30 is constituted by a homepage creation device (actually, a device in which application software and peripheral devices for creating a homepage for the Internet are incorporated in a general-purpose computer). HyperText Markup Language
) Has a function of creating homepage data for uploading to the Internet described in (1). also,
It is possible to present merchandise information in the form of a moving image or a voice, in addition to a photograph or description of the merchandise.

The product information presenting means 40 is constituted by a presentation device (actually, a general-purpose computer in which application software and peripheral devices for product presentation are incorporated), and is used to display product presentation materials for sales promotion. It has a function of presenting various product information in a format. For example, in the presentation of building materials and furniture, for example, a virtual room is created with building materials that will be products, and the furniture that will be products is arranged in this room in a coordinated state, the display screen It can be presented on the top or on paper.

The server device 100 is a device for centrally managing the product information used by each of the product information presenting means 10 to 40. In the present system, the server device 1 serving as a server
In contrast to 00, each of the product information presenting means 10 to 40 is positioned as a client. As described above, data can be exchanged between the two via the data exchange means 200. If a communication line is used as the data transfer means 200, online data transfer is possible. If various recording media such as a floppy disk, a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, and an optical disk are used as the data transfer means 200, offline data transfer is possible. Delivery is possible.

The server device 100 includes a storage unit 110, a product information management unit 120, a product information search unit 130, a data format conversion unit 140, and a product information supply unit 150. Hereinafter, these means will be described in order.

The storage unit 110 has a function of associating product information with each product and storing the product information in the form of a database. Actually, the storage unit 110 is configured by a memory in the server device 100 or various storage devices. In this embodiment, merchandise information is handled by dividing it into three attributes of characters, images, and voices. Further, regarding images, still images (one image composed of a set of pixels such as photographs), moving images (series Multiple still images showing the movement of
It is handled by dividing it into three attributes of graphics (images described in vector representation).

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the structure of product information for one product. In the example shown here,
For the product "office chair", character data D1, still image data D2, moving image data D3, graphic data D4, and audio data D5 are prepared. The character data D1 is the product name “office chair” of this product and the model number “ABC12345”.
6 ", material" urethane ", color" brown, gray ", price" 16,000 yen ", and description code" modern ... ". In this embodiment, it is prepared as simple text data. ing. Of course, if necessary, data including control codes such as font, size, and color may be prepared. Still image data D2 is
This is image data indicating a photograph of this product, and is video data D
Reference numeral 3 denotes image data indicating an introduction video of the product, and graphic data D4 is image data indicating dimensions of the product. The audio data D5 is audio description data to be reproduced together with the moving image data D3.

Each of these data is data on the same product, and is stored in the storage means 110 in association with each other. That is, "Model number:
The data D1 to D5 are associated with each other as the product information regarding the product “ABC123456”, and are handled as data of the same group. In the storage unit 110, product information on a large number of products is stored in the same manner, but all of them are associated with each product and stored in the form of a database. Note that the association of the individual product information does not necessarily have to be performed in individual product units, but can be performed in product group units. For example, in the case of a product such as a reception set, a product group consisting of multiple products such as a table and a sofa is defined, and after correlating individual product units,
Further, the association may be performed on an individual product group basis.
In this embodiment, each product information is stored in the storage unit 110 with a parameter indicating a data format and a data size added thereto.

The management of the product information in the database in the storage means 110 is performed by the product information management means 120. That is, the product information management unit 120 performs processing of adding new product information to the database, modifying existing product information, or deleting unnecessary product information. Therefore, the product information management means 12
In 0, hardware for inputting character data, image data, audio data, and the like is provided. In addition,
In the embodiment shown here, the product information management unit 120 is incorporated in the server device 100, but the product information management unit 120 may be configured by a terminal device provided outside the server device 100. In this case, the product information management unit 120 is connected to the server device 100 via the data transfer unit 200, similarly to the product information presentation units 10 to 40.

The product information retrieval means 130 has a function of retrieving the specific product information from a database in the storage means 110 when a request for specific product information is received from the product information presenting means 10 to 40. The retrieved product information is output from the product information supply unit 150 and supplied to the requested product information presentation unit via the data transfer unit 200. Here, four product information presentation means 1
Reference numerals 0 to 40 denote devices for presenting merchandise information via different media, respectively, and require merchandise information each having a unique data format. Therefore, it is not always appropriate to supply the product information retrieved by the product information retrieval unit 130 by the product information supply unit 150 as it is. For example, even if the TIFF format image data held in the storage unit 110 is searched by the product information search unit 130, the DTP processing device included in the product information presentation unit 10 requests the PICT format image data. In the case where the homepage creation apparatus constituting the product information presentation means 30 requests image data in the JPEG format, it is not appropriate to supply the image data in the TIFF format.

The data format conversion means 140 is a means for resolving such inconveniences. The data format of the product information searched by the product information search means 130 is the data format required by the product information presentation means 10 to 40. If the format does not match, the function of converting the data format of the retrieved product information to the data format required by the product information presenting means 10 to 40 is achieved. Therefore, product information supply means 1
50 outputs the product information retrieved by the product information retrieval means 130 to the data transfer means 200 as it is when the data format matches, but outputs the data format conversion means if the data format does not match. The product information converted by 140 is output to the data transfer means 200. In any case, from the viewpoint of the merchandise information presenting means, a request for desired merchandise information is sent to the server 100.
On the side, the desired product information can be obtained in a data format requested by the user.

As described above, in this product information presentation system, since the product information itself is stored as a database in the server device 100, the product information management means 12
0 enables centralized management, and maintenance work such as addition, change, and deletion of product information becomes very easy. Moreover,
Since the data format can be converted by the data format conversion unit 140 as necessary, the product information can be provided to the individual product information presentation units. Product information in the database can be shared.

Next, more detailed features of the product information presentation system according to the present embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, one product information is stored in the storage unit 110 in three forms as needed. The first mode is product information having a data format at the time of input as it is input from the product information management means 120, and the second mode is product information having a predetermined common data format. The third mode is thinning information obtained by performing a thinning process of an information amount on the product information of the first mode (or the second mode). Although the data formats of the first and second forms of product information are different from each other,
While both of them are the original product information, the thinning information is pseudo product information used for performing the allocation work in the product information presentation means.

FIG. 3 is a chart showing an example of the data format of some product information. The product information of numbers 1 to 3 is still image data, but each has a different data format at the time of input. That is, in the case of this example, when new product information is input by the product information management unit 120, the product information 1 is still image data in TIFF format, the product information 2 is still image data in PICT format, and the product information 3 is Still image data in EPS format. However, in this example, the common data format of the still image is JP
EG format is predetermined and each product information 1-3 is
At the time of registration in the database, the data is converted into the JPEG format (if necessary, conversion may be performed using the data format conversion means 140). Further, a thinning process is performed on the JPEG format product information, and the same JPEG format thinning information is created. The storage unit 110 stores three types of data: product information having a data format at the time of input, product information having a common data format, and thinning information obtained by thinning processing. Each will be saved.

Similarly, three types of data are stored in the merchandise information 4 and 5 constituting the moving image data (the thinning information is a JPEG format still image of one still image constituting the moving image). Image data). Also,
Although not shown in FIG. 3, character data, graphic data,
As for the voice data, three types of data can be prepared and stored as needed.

As described above, a common data format is determined for each attribute data such as a still image and a moving image, and merchandise information having a common data format is prepared in the database. For example, since the data format of the product information to be converted by the data format conversion unit 140 is specified as a common data format, the product information presentation unit 10
The conversion process to be executed in response to the request from 40 becomes more efficient. Further, since the data format at the time of input is also stored as it is, if necessary, the product information in the data format at the time of input can be used at any time. For example, T
When conversion from the IFF format to the JPEG format is performed, the data amount is slightly lost. Therefore, when data in a complete state at the time of input is required, it is only necessary to use product information having a data format at the time of input.

Further, by preparing thinning information in addition to the original product information, it is possible to improve the work efficiency on each product information presentation means side. That is, in the system according to the present embodiment, for example, the product information presentation means 10 can use desired product information in the following steps. First, the product information presentation means 10
The product list window shown in FIG. In this example, only the product name and model number in the character data of each product are displayed on one line. The operator indicates a desired product column using a pointing device such as a mouse while looking at such a product list. Then, on the display,
As shown in FIG. 7, a window of a schematic display of the designated product appears. In this window, the thinning information is displayed. That is, the thinned character data D
1 ^* is the original character data D1 shown in FIG. 2 partially omitted and extracted, and the thinned still image data D2 ^* is
2 is an image obtained by thinning out the number of pixels of the original still image data D2 shown in FIG. 2 (so-called thumbnail image). The thinned-out moving image data D3 ^* is a still image of the first frame of the original moving image data D3 shown in FIG. It is an image showing the number of pixels thinned out,
The thinned figure data D4 ^* is an image obtained by reducing the figure data D4 shown in FIG. Further, in the present embodiment, only the image data of the icon indicating that the data is audio data is prepared as the thinning information for the audio data, and the thinned audio data D5 ^* shown in FIG. The icon image is irrelevant to the audio data D5.

In displaying the commodity summary display shown in FIG. 5, the original commodity information is unnecessary, and only the thinning information is sufficient. Therefore, the product information supply unit 150 in the server device 100 outputs the thinning information when a request for specific product information is received from the product information presenting unit 10 and when the request is for a product summary display. Should be supplied.

On the display screen of the product information presentation means 10, a window of a product list shown in FIG. 4 and a window of a product summary display shown in FIG. It is supposed to be. Thus, the operator can grasp the outline of the individual product information related to the product and examine the product information to be actually allocated by the product summary display as shown in FIG. For example, when the operator designates thinned still image data D2 ^* with a mouse or the like in the product summary display window shown in FIG. 5, the product information supply means 150 of the server apparatus 100 outputs the original still image data D2 ^*.
Is supplied through the data transfer means 200. As a result, on the display screen of the product information presentation means 10, a still image based on the still image data D2 is displayed on the window of the allocation screen. The operator can set a magnification, a position, and the like for the still image, and can allocate the still image to a predetermined position as shown in FIG.

As described above, in the stage of displaying the product summary as shown in FIG. 5, it is sufficient to supply thinning information having a small data amount from the server device 100 to the product information presenting means 10; When the operator selects necessary product information from the window, the server device 100 may supply the original product information to the product information presenting means 10, so that the operability is good and the allocation is efficient. Work can be performed. Product information supply means 15
0 is to appropriately determine whether to supply the original product information or to supply the thinned information in response to a request from the product information presenting means 10, and to execute a process of selecting and supplying one of them. Become.

In the above-described example, the operation of selecting a desired product from the product list as shown in FIG. 4 has been described. In addition, each product information (particularly, character information) is used as a keyword. By performing a search, it is also possible to select a specific product. For example, it is possible to search for desired product information by giving a condition such as "a product including a character" chair "to the product name and a color name" brown "" to the product information search means 130. . In this case, if the merchandise information search means 130 is provided with a function of storing a history of search processes executed in the past (for example, the above-described conditions), a new search process can be executed using this history. It is convenient.

As described above, the product information presentation system according to the present invention has been described based on one embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and can be implemented in various other modes. . In particular, FIG.
Each of the devices indicated as to 40 is a specific device example, and any device that is used for the purpose of presenting product information is used as the product information presenting means. It doesn't matter.

[0034]

As described above, according to the merchandise information presentation system of the present invention, the merchandise information database is centrally managed, and the merchandise information is supplied by converting it into a data format suitable for each merchandise information presenting means. Since it is performed, the work of presenting the same product information via a plurality of different media can be efficiently performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a product information presentation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the configuration of product information for one product.

FIG. 3 is a chart showing an example of a data format for some product information.

4 is a diagram showing a window of a product list displayed on a display in a product information presentation means 10 in the system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a product summary display window displayed on a display in the product information presentation means 10 in the system shown in FIG. 1;

6 is a diagram showing a window of an allocation screen displayed on a display in the product information presentation means 10 in the system shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Commodity information presentation means (DTP processing apparatus) 20 ... Commodity information presentation means (electronic catalog creation apparatus) 30 ... Commodity information presentation means (homepage creation apparatus) 40 ... Commodity information presentation means (presentation apparatus) 100 ... Server apparatus 110 ... Storage means 120 ... Product information management means 130 ... Product information search means 140 ... Data format conversion means 150 ... Product information supply means 200 ... Data transfer means D1 ... Character data D2 ... Still image data D3 ... Movie data D4 ... Graphic data D5 ... Audio data D1 ^* : Thinned character data D2 ^* : Thinned still image data D3 ^* : Thinned video data D4 ^* : Thinned figure data D5 ^* : Thinned voice data

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroshi Nagata 1-1-1, Ichigaya-Kagacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Inside Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (72) Tomohisa Nishitani 1-1-1, Ichigaga-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 1 Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of product information presenting means for presenting product information via mutually different media, storage means for associating the product information with each product and storing the product information in a database format, A product information management unit that manages product information about, a product information search unit that searches for the specific product information from the database when a request for specific product information is received from a specific product information presentation unit, When the data format of the product information searched by the product information search unit does not match the data format requested by the specific product information presentation unit, the data format of the searched product information is changed to the specific product information. A data format conversion unit for converting the data into a data format required by the presentation unit; and product information retrieved by the product information retrieval unit. Product information presentation system, characterized in that and a product information supply means for supplying the product information that has been converted, the to specific product information presenting means by the data format converting means. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, in the database, together with the original product information, thinning information obtained by performing an information amount thinning process on the original product information is prepared. A product information presentation system, wherein the product information supply means can selectively supply the original product information or the thinning information in response to a request from the product information presentation means. 3. A system according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined data format is defined in advance as a common data format as a data format of the product information, and when new product information is added to the database, The product information is stored in the storage unit in the data format at the time of input as it is input from the product information management unit, and if the data format at the time of input is not the common data format, the common data format is used. If the data format needs to be converted in response to a request from a specific product information presenting unit, the data format converting unit must A product information presentation system configured to be able to execute conversion on the product information in the data format of (1). 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the merchandise information search means stores a history of search processing executed in the past, and uses this history to execute a new search processing. A product information presentation system having a function to execute.