Patent ID: 7849417
Filing Date: 2010-12-07
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An image display system comprising: a server; and a terminal connected to the server through a computer network, the server comprising: a first image database that stores a first image showing an electronic catalog and having a first file format for movable image display, the first image showing a plurality of articles that are not linked to a hyperlink; a second image database that stores a second image having a same display contents as the first image and a second file format for static image display, the second image showing the same plurality of articles each of which is linked to a hyperlink; an image distributor that, in response to an image display request from the terminal at one time, reads the first image and second image corresponding to the request from the first image database and second image database to distribute the read images, and an article purchase unit that enables selection of an article to purchase from the first image on the terminal, the article being linked with the hyperlink in the second image, the terminal comprising: a movable image display unit that movably displays the first image distributed from the server on a display; a static image display unit that statically displays the second image distributed from the server on the display; and a switch that switches between the movable image display unit and the static image display unit, wherein the server or the terminal includes a next image distributor that determines a next image that is expected to be displayed subsequently to the first image and second image for the image display request and outputs a command signal so that at least a first image of the next image is distributed with the first image and second image for the image display request to be displayed by the movable image display unit, wherein the terminal causes display of an online shopping button only simultaneously with the first image and not with the second image, and when the online shopping button is operated the switch of the terminal switches from displaying the first image by the movable image display unit to displaying the second image by the static image display unit but does not select the article to purchase nor place the article into a shopping cart, wherein the article purchase unit enables the purchase of the article or placement of the article into a shopping cart when a shopping cart button is operated while the article is selected from the second image linked with the hyperlink that is switched by operating the online shopping button being displayed simultaneously with the first image, and wherein the online shopping button is a singular button that causes switching from displaying the first image to displaying the second image that includes the same plurality of articles as the first image and also includes hyperlinks to the plurality of articles.