Abstract:
There is provided a contents conversion fee charging system including: a contents provider terminal to be operated by a contents provider; a contents server to store contents provided by said contents provider; a user terminal to be operated by a user; a conversion server to convert the contents; and wherein the contents provider is charged a conversion fee for contents conversion performed by the conversion server.

Description:
[0001]    The present application claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No.2000-180509 filed on Jun. 15, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to a contents conversion fee charging system and a contents conversion fee charging method that can be suitably used when contents described in a foreign language on a homepage are converted into those in a native language and a storage medium storing programs for controlling the above system and method.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    When contents are described in a foreign language (for example, in English) on a homepage on the Internet, in many cases, contents described in the foreign language are translated (that is, language-converted) into those described in a native language (for example, in Japanese) of a user who wants to refer to the contents on the homepage. In such a case, in a conventional contents translation (conversion) fee charging system, the user has to bear a fee for translation of the contents. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing configurations of the conventional contents translation fee charging system. As shown in FIG. 3, such the conventional contents translation fee charging system includes a contents server  10 , a contents translating server  30  and a user terminal  20 . The contents server  10  is used to store and transmit contents  11  provided by a contents provider. The user terminal  20  is used to make a request of a contents translating server  30  for translating contents selected out of contents stored in the contents server  10  and displayed by the user. The user terminal  20  displays translated contents  21 .  
           [0006]    The contents translating server  30  has a user registering device  31 , a user information registered database (hereinafter, referred to as a “user information registered DB  32 ”), a translation request controlling device  33 , a database reference controlling device (hereinafter referred to as a “DB reference controlling device”  34 ), a translation processing device  35 , a translation processing storing device  36 , and a translation fee calculating/notifying device  37 . The user registering device  31  is used to register user information (such as a person to be charged for translation fee, payment time, settlement method or a like). In the user information registered DB  32  is registered the user information. The translation request controlling device  33  receives translation implementing request information in accordance with a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) instruction from the user terminal  20 , investigates the user information registered DB  32  to check whether the user is a registered one or not and, if the user is the registered one, acquires contents  11  and instructs the translation processing device  35  to perform the translation and transmits translation results to the user terminal  20 . The DB reference controlling device  34 , in response to a request from the translation request controlling device  33 , checks whether the translation implementing request information is information stored in the user information registered DB  32  and, if the above information exists in the user information registered DB  32 , permits the translation request controlling device  33  to translate the contents  11 . The translation processing device  35  performs translation on the contents  11  and transmits results from the translation of the contents  11  to the translation request controlling device  33 . After translation is completed, the translation request controlling device  33  records a fact that a URL has been translated as use history information on the translation processing storing device  36 . The translation fee calculating/notifying device  37  calculates the translation fee by referring to the user information registered DB  32  and the translation processing storing device  36  and notifies the user terminal  20  of a request for payment.  
           [0007]    In the conventional contents translation fee charging system, the contents  11  provided by the contents provider are stored in the contents server  10  and transmitted to the contents translating server  30  in response to the request from the contents translating server  30 . Moreover, the contents stored in the contents server  10  are displayed on the user terminal  20  by manipulation of the user and are translated by the contents translating server  30 . At this point, translation implementing request information is transmitted to the translation request controlling device  33  in accordance with a URL fed from the user terminal  20 . Based on this translation implementing request information, the user information registered DB  32  is referred to through the DB reference controlling device  34  and, if a user is a registered user, a permission for translation of the contents  11  is given to the translation request controlling device  33  and the translation processing device  35  is instructed to perform translation on the contents  11 . The contents  11  is translated by the translation processing device  35  and the translated contents  21  are transmitted through the translation request controlling device  33  to the user terminal  20 . The translated contents  21  are displayed on the user terminal  20 . After translation is completed, the translation request controlling device  33  records a fact that a URL has been translated as use history information on the translation processing storing device  36 . The user information registered DB  32  and the translation processing storing device  36  is referred to by the translation fee calculating/notifying device  37  and the translation fee is calculated by the translation fee calculating/notifying device  37  and a payment request is notified to the user terminal  20 . The user is charged for the translation fee.  
           [0008]    However, the above-described conventional contents translation fee charging system has following problems. That is, even if a contents provider such as a company has a will to convert the contents even by paying the translation fee, that is, to translate contents described in a foreign language into contents described in a native language of a user, the user being a customer has to bear costs of the translation, for example, the translation. The system in which the user is charged for the translation fee and the translation fee has to be collected from the user is accompanied by inconvenience such as an increase in costs and risks. The inconvenience includes points, for example, that it is difficult for a user to construct an accounting system to count the number of times of use of the contents translating server  30 , it is difficult to construct a low cost charging system of the translation fee, a fee for a settlement of amounts to be paid by a credit card of the user is necessary, it costs much to hold and store a large amount of personal information of the user and it costs much to bill the user for the translation fee that has not been collected yet. Moreover, even if a contents provider has a will to translate contents described in a foreign language on a homepage by paying the translation fee and to display them, it is difficult to eliminate the possibility of infringing on a copyright of original contents. When the user uses the contents translation fee charging system, it is necessary to designate the URL that the contents employ, which takes much time and labor.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a contents conversion fee charging system and a contents conversion fee charging method in which a user is not charged for a contents conversion fee, but a contents provider is charged.  
           [0010]    According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a contents conversion fee charging system including:  
           [0011]    a contents provider terminal to be operated by a contents provider;  
           [0012]    a contents server to store contents provided by the contents provider;  
           [0013]    a user terminal to be operated by a user;  
           [0014]    a conversion server to convert the contents; and  
           [0015]    wherein the contents provider is charged for a fee for contents conversion performed by the conversion server.  
           [0016]    In the foregoing first aspect, a preferable mode is one wherein, in the conversion, the contents, when being described in a foreign language, are translated into contents described in a native language of a user.  
           [0017]    According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a contents conversion fee charging system including:  
           [0018]    a contents provider terminal;  
           [0019]    a contents server;  
           [0020]    a user terminal;  
           [0021]    a conversion server; and  
           [0022]    wherein the contents provider terminal is so configured as to provide the contents server with contents to be converted, and to provide the conversion server with contents information containing at least URL (Uniform Resource Locator) information about the contents and contents provider information showing a method of charging for conversion of the contents, such that the contents information and contents provider information are registered on the conversion server, and to receive conversion fee information about conversion of the contents from the conversion server,  
           [0023]    wherein the contents server is so configured as to store the contents provided by the contents provider, and to transmit stored the contents to the conversion server by request of the conversion server based on an instruction of a conversion instruction banner,  
           [0024]    wherein the user terminal is so configured as to select and display the contents stored in the contents server, to transmit to the conversion server conversion implementing request information used to make a request of the conversion server for conversion of the contents displayed in accordance with the instruction of the conversion instructing banner and to input and display results of conversion of the contents,  
           [0025]    and wherein the conversion server is so configured as to acquire and convert the contents to be converted from the contents server, based on the conversion implementing request information and to transmit the results of conversion of the contents to the user terminal, and to produce conversion fee information by calculating a conversion fee, based on both contents provider information stored in the contents registered database and use history information registered on the translation processing storing device, and to transmit the conversion fee information to the contents provider terminal in order to charge the contents provider for conversion fees.  
           [0026]    In the foregoing second aspect, a preferable mode is one wherein the conversion server has a contents registering device, a contents registered database, a conversion request controlling device, a database reference controlling device, a conversion processing storing device, a conversion device, and a conversion fee calculating and notifying device,  
           [0027]    wherein the contents registering device is so configured as to perform registration processing of the contents provider information, and wherein the contents registered database is so configured as to register the contents provider information,  
           [0028]    wherein the conversion request controlling device is so configured as to refer to the contents registered database , and to acquire from the contents server contents corresponding to the conversion implementing request information, when the contents are those to be converted, by the reference, and to instruct the conversion device to perform the conversion of acquired the contents and to transmit results of the conversion of the contents performed by the conversion device to the user terminal,  
           [0029]    wherein the database reference controlling device is so configured as to check, in response to a reference from the conversion request controlling device, whether the contents to be converted have been registered on the contents registered database and, when the contents have been registered, to permit the conversion request controlling device to perform the conversion of the contents and ,after conversion, to transmit information that the conversion has been performed to the conversion processing storing device as use history information,  
           [0030]    wherein the conversion processing storing device is so configured as to store the use history information,  
           [0031]    wherein the conversion device is so configured as to perform the conversion of the contents to be converted and to transmit results of the conversion to the user terminal, and  
           [0032]    wherein the conversion fee calculating and notifying device is so configured as to produce the conversion fee information by referring to the contents registered database and the conversion processing storing device and by calculating the conversion fee and to transmit the conversion fee information to the contents provider terminal in order to charge the contents provider for the conversion fee.  
           [0033]    Also, a preferable mode is one wherein, in the conversion, the contents, when being described in a foreign language, are translated into contents described in a native language of a user.  
           [0034]    According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of charging a contents conversion fee employed in a contents conversion fee charging system made up of a contents provider terminal, a contents server, a user terminal, and a conversion server, including:  
           [0035]    contents providing processing in which the contents provider terminal provides the contents server with contents to be converted,  
           [0036]    contents provider information registering processing in which the contents provider terminal provides the conversion server with contents information containing at least URL (Uniform Resource Locator) information about the contents and contents provider information showing a method of charging for conversion of the contents, such that the contents information and contents provider information are registered on the conversion server;  
           [0037]    contents storing processing in which the contents server stores the contents provided by the contents provider,  
           [0038]    contents transmitting processing in which the contents server transmits stored the contents to the conversion server by request of the conversion server based on an instruction of a conversion instruction banner,  
           [0039]    contents displaying processing in which the user terminal selects and displays the contents stored in the contents server;  
           [0040]    conversion request processing in which the user terminal transmits conversion implementing request information used to make a request of the conversion server for the contents displayed in accordance with an instruction of the conversion instructing banner;  
           [0041]    converting processing in which the conversion server refers to the contents registered database and then acquires and converts the contents to be converted from the contents server, based on the conversion implementing request information, and registers information that the conversion has been performed as use history information on a storing device;,  
           [0042]    conversion result transmitting processing in which the conversion server transmits the results of conversion of the contents to the user terminal,  
           [0043]    conversion result displaying processing in which the user terminal inputs and displays results of conversion of the contents;  
           [0044]    conversion fee information transmitting processing in which the conversion server produces conversion fee information by calculating the conversion fee based on both contents provider information stored in the contents registered database and use history information registered on the storing device, and transmits the conversion fee information produced to the contents provider terminal;  
           [0045]    conversion fee information inputting processing in which the contents provider terminal inputs the conversion fee information through the conversion server; and  
           [0046]    conversion fee charging processing in which the contents provider terminal charges the contents provider for the conversion fee, based on the conversion fee information.  
           [0047]    In the foregoing third aspect, a preferable mode is one wherein, in the conversion, the contents, when being described in a foreign language, are translated into contents described in a native language of a user.  
           [0048]    According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium storing a control program to cause a computer to implement functions of a contents conversion fee charging system including:  
           [0049]    a contents provider terminal to be operated by a contents provider;  
           [0050]    a contents server to store contents provided by the contents provider;  
           [0051]    a user terminal to be operated by a user;  
           [0052]    a conversion server to convert the contents; and  
           [0053]    wherein the contents provider is charged a conversion fee for contents conversion performed by the conversion server.  
           [0054]    According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium storing a control program to cause a computer to implement functions of a contents conversion fee charging system including:  
           [0055]    a contents provider terminal;  
           [0056]    a contents server;  
           [0057]    a user terminal;  
           [0058]    a conversion server; and  
           [0059]    wherein the contents provider terminal is so configured as to provide the contents server with contents to be converted, and to provide the conversion server with contents information containing at least URL (Uniform Resource Locator) information about the contents and contents provider information showing a method of charging for conversion of the contents, such that the contents information and contents provider information are registered on the conversion server, and to receive conversion fee information about conversion of the contents from the conversion server,  
           [0060]    wherein the contents server is so configured as to store the contents provided by the contents provider, and to transmit stored the contents to the conversion server by request of the conversion server based on an instruction of a conversion instruction banner,  
           [0061]    wherein the user terminal is so configured as to select and display the contents stored in the contents server, to transmit to the conversion server conversion implementing request information used to make a request of the conversion server for conversion of the contents displayed in accordance with the instruction of the conversion instructing banner and to input and display results of conversion of the contents,  
           [0062]    and wherein the conversion server is so configured as to acquire and convert the contents to be converted from the contents server, based on the conversion implementing request information and to transmit the results of conversion of the contents to the user terminal, and to produce conversion fee information by calculating a conversion fee based on both contents provider information stored in the contents registered database and use history information registered on the conversion processing storing device, and to transmit the conversion fee information to the contents provider terminal in order to charge the contents provider for conversion fees.  
           [0063]    With the above configurations, a contents provider such as a company bears costs of a conversion and therefore it is not necessary to charge a user for a conversion fee. Since a personal user is not charged for the conversion fee but a contents provider is charged for it, costs and risks in charging the conversion fee can be reduced. Moreover, when a database reference controlling device, when contents acquired by a conversion request controlling device have been registered on a contents registered database, permits the conversion request controlling device to convert contents, a danger of an infringement on a copyright by the user can be eliminated. Furthermore, conversion of the contents is designated by the contents provider; and therefore an operation of a user of the contents conversion fee charging system is not required, which provides simple and easy operability of the contents conversion fee charging system. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0064]    The above and other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0065]    [0065]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing configurations of a contents conversion fee charging system to implement a contents conversion fee charging method according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0066]    [0066]FIG. 2 is a flowchart explaining the contents translation fee charging method using the contents translation fee charging system of the embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0067]    [0067]FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing configurations of a conventional contents conversion fee charging system. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0068]    Best modes of carrying out the present invention will be described in further detail using various embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
       First Embodiment  
       [0069]    [0069]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing configurations of a contents translation fee charging system to implement a contents translation fee charging method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The conversion fee charging system of the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a contents provider terminal  40 , a contents server  50 , a user terminal  60 , and a translation server  70 . The contents provider terminal  40  is made up of, for example, a personal computer or a like and is used to store contents  51  to be translated (for example, from English to Japanese) in the contents server  50 , and to register contents information containing at least URL (Uniform Resource Locator) information about the contents  51  and contents provider information I 40  showing a method of charging for translation of the contents, on the translation server  70 , based on manipulation of the contents provider and inputs contents provider information I 71  registered on the translation server  70  and translation fee information I 77  about the contents translation, from the translation server  70 . The contents server  50  stores contents  51  provided by the contents provider and transmits contents  51  to the translation server  70 , by request of the conversion server  70  based on an instruction of a translation instructing banner  61 . A translation instructing banner  52  is arranged and contained in the contents  51  by the contents provider, whereby the translation instructing banner  52  is acquired by user terminal  60  and displayed thereat as the translation instructing banner  61 .  
         [0070]    The user terminal  60  is made up of, for example, a personal computer or a like and is used to select and display contents  51  stored in the contents server  50 , by manipulation of the user and, based on an instruction of the translation instructing banner  61 , transmits translation implementing request information I 60  to make a request of the translation server  70  for the translation of the displayed contents  51  to the translation server  70 , and to input and display a translated result I 73   a  of the contents  51 .  
         [0071]    The translation server  70  is made up of, for example, a work station or a like and has a contents registering device  71 , a contents registered database  72 , a translation request controlling device  73 , a DB reference controlling device  74 , a translation processing storing device  75 , a translation device  76 , a translation fee calculating/notifying device  77 , a central processing device (CPU  78 ), and a storage medium (for example, ROM  79  (Read Only Memory)). The contents registering device  71  performs registration of the contents provider information I 40 . The contents registered DB  72  registers the contents provider information I 40 .  
         [0072]    The translation request controlling device  73  refers to the contents registered DB  72 , and if the contents  51  corresponding to translation implementing request information I 60  proves to be those to be translated by the reference, acquires contents  51  from the contents server  50 , transmits an instructing signal I 73   b  to instruct the translating device  76  to translate the contents  51 , together with the contents  51  and transmits results I 76  obtained by translating the contents  51  fed from the translating device  76  to the user terminal  60 .  
         [0073]    The DB reference controlling device  74  checks, in response to a reference signal I 74   a  fed from the translation request controlling device  73 , whether the contents  51  acquired by the translation request controlling device  73  have been registered on the contents registered DB  72  and, if the contents  51  have been registered on the contents registered DB  72 , transmits a permission signal I 73   c  to permit the translation request controlling device  73  to translate the contents  51  and, after translation, information that the translation has been performed to the translation processing storing device  75  as use history information I 74   b . The translation processing storing device  75  stores the use history information I 74   b . The translation device  76  translates the contents  51  to be translated and transmits the results I 76  through the translation request controlling device  73  to the user terminal  60 .  
         [0074]    The translation fee calculating/notifying device  77  transmits translation fee information I 77  obtained by referring to the contents registered DB  72  and the translation processing storing device  75  and by calculating the translation fee, to the contents provider terminal  40  in order to charge the contents provider for the translation fee. The CPU  78  controls the entire translation server  70 . The ROM  79  is used to store control programs to operate the CPU  78 .  
         [0075]    [0075]FIG. 2 is a flowchart explaining a contents translation fee charging method using the contents translation fee charging system of the embodiment of the present invention. By manipulation of the contents provider, the contents provider information I 40  fed from the contents provider terminal  40  is registered on the translation server  70  (Step S 1  and Step S 2 , contents provider information registering processing). At this point, the contents provider information I 40  is registered by the contents registering device  71  on the contents registered DB  72 . The contents provider information I 71  registered on the translation server  70 , when the translation server  70  is accessed by the contents provider, is input to the contents provider terminal  40  and is displayed. On a screen of the contents provider terminal  40  are displayed, for example, a name of an organization to which the contents provider belongs, a contact, a department to which the contents provider belongs, a name of the contents provider, a method of paying the translation fee (for example, payment ways for each site, each file, and access unit, monthly or yearly payment, advance payment/deferred payment, payment by transfer to an account/by credit card, original language of contents or a like).  
         [0076]    The contents  51  provided by the contents provider are stored in the contents server  50  (Step S 3 , S 4 , contents storing processing). The contents  51  stored in the contents server  50  are selected at the user terminal  60  by manipulation of the user and are displayed (Step S 5 , contents displaying processing) and, when the contents  51  are described in a foreign language and if the user wants to refer to the contents  51  after having translated the contents  51  described in a foreign language into those described in a native language, the translation implementing request information I 60  is transmitted to the translation server  70  by clicking the translation instructing banner  61  which is a specifying image area, icon or a like on a monitor screen linked to a translation instructing program (Step S 6 , translation request processing). The translation implementing request information I 60  is input to the translation request controlling device  73 .  
         [0077]    Then, the contents registered DB  72  is referred to and if the contents  51  corresponding to the translation implementing request information I 60 , are those to be translated, the contents  51  are acquired from the contents server  50  by the translation server  70 . Then, an instructing signal I 73 i b together with the contents  51  is transmitted to the translating device  76  and the contents  51  are translated (Step S 7 , translation processing). The translation result from the results I 76  is transmitted through the translation request controlling device  73  to the user terminal  60  (Step S 8 , translation result transmitting processing).  
         [0078]    At this point, in response to a reference signal I 74   a  from the translation request controlling device  73 , the contents registered DB  72  is checked by the DB reference controlling device  74  to judge whether the contents  51  which the translation request controlling device  73  intends to acquire, have been registered in the contents registered DB  72 . As a result of the judgment by the DB reference controlling device  74 , if the contents  51  have not been registered on the contents registered DB  72 , the contents  51  are not acquired from the contents server  50 , and instead, error information is transmitted from the translation request controlling device  73  to the user terminal  60  and the error is displayed at the user terminal  60 . On the other hand, if the contents  51  have been registered on the contents registered DB  72 , the contents  51  are acquired from the contents server  50  and the permission signal I 73   c  is transmitted to the translation request controlling device  73  so that the contents  51  are allowed to be translated and, after translation, information that the translation has been performed is transmitted to the translation processing storing device  75  as the use history information and is then stored. The contents  51  as an object of translation are translated by the translating device  76  and the results I 76  are transmitted through the translation request controlling device  73  to the user terminal  60  and is then displayed (Step S 9 , translation result displaying device).  
         [0079]    The translation fee calculating/notifying device  77  produces translation fee information I 77  by referring to the contents registered DB  72  and the translation processing storing device  75  and by calculating the translation fee and the obtained translation fee information I 77  is transmitted to the contents provider terminal  40  (Step S 10 , translation fee information transmitting processing).  
         [0080]    The translation fee information I 77  is input to the contents provider terminal  40  (Step S 11 , translation fee information inputting processing) and the contents provider is charged for the translation fee (Step S 12 , translation fee charging processing).  
         [0081]    Thus, according to the embodiment, since the contents provider such as a company bears costs of the translation fee, it is not necessary for the user to pay the translation fee. That is, the user is not charged for the translation fee but the contents provider is charged for the translation fee and, therefore, costs and risks associated with charging of the translation fees can be reduced. Moreover, the DB reference controlling device  74 , when the contents  51  acquired by the translation request controlling device  73  have been registered on the contents registered DB  72 , transmits the permission signal I 73   c  to the translation request controlling device  73  and, as a result, a danger of users&#39; infringement on a copyright is eliminated. Moreover, since the contents provider designates the translation of the contents  51 , it is not necessary for the user to manipulate the contents translation fee charging system, thus achieving easy operations of the system.  
         [0082]    It is apparent that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments but may be changed and modified without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, contents may be translated in an arbitrary form, that is, in units of pages or sites. The method of calculating the translation fee and the payment time may be also set in an arbitrary way, that is, the translation fee may be paid, for example, by an advance lump-sum payment method for each site or by a deferred payment method for each page depending on actual results of the number of times of translations. Moreover, the translation fee may be paid in an arbitrary way, that is, by way of a transfer of amounts to be paid to a bank account or payment from the bank account, based on issuance of bills. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the example is given in which English contents are translated into Japanese contents, however, the present invention may be applied not only to cases of the translation between languages but also to cases of translation in an image translation system used to improve quality of images and to cases of translation from an HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) format to a WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) format.