Patent Abstract:
An object of the invention is to enable an advertiser to search for an advertisement provision destination which meets a budget condition and is expected to have a higher effect. The invention includes a step of receiving information (for example, a budget amount, the number of times) concerning an advertisement budget condition from an advertiser terminal, a counting step of counting the number of substantial users for each advertisement provision candidate and storing it in a storage device, and a step of extracting the advertisement provision candidates in descending order of the number of the substantial users within the range of the advertisement budget condition obtained and transmitting them to the advertiser terminal. For example, the activity state of an organization is grasped by counting the number of persons (substantial users) substantially using services, such as a homepage, a bulletin board, or a mailing list of the advertisement provision candidate as the organization where persons having the same interests gather together, and an advertisement is provided to an organization with a lively activity within a budget condition. By this, it becomes possible to carry out efficient and effective advertisement provision.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to an advertisement delivery technique in a network. Incidentally, in this specification, the term “advertisement” includes provision of mere information.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Recently, in the Internet, an advertisement is widely made in such a form that a banner advertisement is put on a homepage, and when the banner advertisement is clicked, a Web page concerning an advertisement object appears. Besides, an e-mail containing an advertisement is also delivered.  
           [0003]    Although advertisement is very efficient if it is delivered to a person who takes an interest in the information of the advertisement object, it is very difficult to timely provide an advertisement in accordance with diversified personal interests. Besides, a user himself or herself often does not grasp the needs. Advertisement provided in the Internet at present is one of the mass media, and cost effectiveness is hard for an advertiser to grasp.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a technique to enable an advertiser to search for a destination of advertisement provision, which meets a budget condition and is expected to have a higher effect.  
           [0005]    An advertisement destination determining method of the present invention comprises a step of receiving information concerning an advertisement budget condition (for example, a budget amount, the number of times, or a period) from an advertiser terminal; a counting step of counting the number of substantial users for each candidate of advertisement provision destinations and storing it in a storage device; and a step of extracting candidates of the advertisement provision destinations in descending order of the number of the substantial users within the range of the advertisement budget condition obtained and transmitting them to the advertiser terminal.  
           [0006]    For example, as described in the embodiment, by counting the number of persons (substantial users) substantially using services, such as a homepage, a bulletin board, or a mailing list of an advertisement provision destination candidate as an organization where persons having the same interests gather together, the activity states of the organizations are grasped and an advertisement is provided to the organization(s) with a lively activity within a budget condition. By this, it becomes possible to carry out efficient and effective advertisement provision.  
           [0007]    Incidentally, a search condition concerning the property of the advertisement provision destination candidate may be received from the advertiser terminal, and on the basis of the search condition (for example, the category of an organization) concerning the property of the advertisement provision destination candidate, the advertisement provision destination candidates may be restricted.  
           [0008]    Further, a condition (for example, information concerning gender, an age group) concerning a counting range of the number of substantial users in the organization may be received from the advertiser terminal, and the number of substantial users conforming with the condition concerning the counting range may be counted for each of the advertisement provision destination candidates in the aforementioned counting step.  
           [0009]    The advertiser terminal transmits information concerning an advertisement budget condition to a server, receives information of the advertisement provision destination candidates extracted in descending order of the number of the substantial users within the range of the advertisement budget condition from the server, and displays it on a display device.  
           [0010]    Incidentally, the advertisement destination determining method as described above can be executed by a combination of a computer and a program, and the program is stored in, for example, a storage medium or a storage device such as a floppy disk, a CD-ROM, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory or a hard disk. Intermediate data during the processing is stored in a storage device such as a main memory of a computer. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the outline of a system of an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing flow for organization registration;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a drawing showing an example of an organization table;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a drawing showing an example of a member table;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing flow for member registration;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a processing flow for information provision to a member by an organization secretariat terminal;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a drawing showing a processing flow (No.  1 ) for determining advertisement provision destinations;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is a drawing showing an example of an information provider table;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 is a drawing showing an example of a search condition input screen for mail advertisement;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 10 is a drawing showing an example of a search condition input screen for banner advertisement;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 11 is a drawing showing an example of a provision information table;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 12 is a drawing showing a processing flow (No.  2 ) for determining advertisement provision destinations;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a processing for grasping the number of substantial users;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 14 is a flowchart of a provision destination extracting processing;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 15 is a drawing showing a specific example for explaining provision destination extraction;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 16 is a drawing showing an example of a list screen of mail advertisement delivery destinations;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 17 is a drawing showing an example of a list screen of banner advertisement placement destination; and  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 18 is a drawing showing a processing flow (No.  3 ) for determining advertisement provision destinations. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]    A system outline figure of one embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The Internet  1  as a computer network is connected with a server  3  for executing a main processing in this embodiment and having a Web server function and a mail server function, an A organization secretariat terminal  5  operated by a person in charge of the affairs of an A organization and having a Web browser function, an A organization member terminal  7  operated by a member of the A organization and having the Web browser function, a B organization secretariat terminal  9  operated by a person in charge of the affairs of a B organization and having the Web browser function, a B organization member terminal  11  operated by a member of the B organization and having the Web browser function, an A advertiser terminal  13  operated by a staff member of an A advertiser and having the Web browser function, and a B advertiser terminal  15  operated by a staff member of a B advertiser and having the Web browser function.  
         [0030]    In FIG. 1, although only the two organizations are shown, the number of organizations is not limited to two, and the number is not limited. Similarly, although only one member terminal is shown for each organization, the number is not limited. The same applies to the advertiser terminal, and the number of advertiser terminals is not limited. The server  3  is also not limited to one, and plural servers may realize functions described below. The terminal may be a personal computer or may be a portable terminal or a cellular phone.  
         [0031]    The server  3  provides, as a service  31  for the A organization, a homepage  310  for providing information concerning the A organization to members or the like, a bulletin board  312  as a place where the members of the A organization make arguments, a mailing list  314  for performing information delivery by mail, and an organization management function  316  for managing the organization members or the like. Similarly, the server provides, as a service  33  for the B organization, a homepage  330  for providing information concerning the B organization to members or the like, a bulletin board  332  as a place where the members of the B organization make arguments, a mailing list  334  for performing information delivery by mail, and an organization management function  336  for managing the organization members or the like. The above-described services for the organizations are mere examples, and other services, for example, a shopping function can also be provided.  
         [0032]    Besides, for a service  35  for an advertiser, the server includes a utilization status collector  350  for collecting information concerning the utilization status of the organization and the organization members, for example, accessing persons and the number of accesses to the homepage, speakers and the number of utterances on the bulletin board, and senders and the number of times of sending of the mailing list, a substantial user number counter  352  for counting the number of the substantial users obtained by counting the number of accesses for each user, for example, for each organization, each gender in the organization, and/or each age group in the organization, an organization search unit  354  for searching advertisement provision destinations, and an advertisement fee calculator  356  for calculating an advertisement fee.  
         [0033]    The outline of the business will be described with reference to FIG. 1. An administrator of the server  3  provides each organization with a homepage, a bulletin board, a mailing list, and organization management functions without a fee or at a low cost, and prompts the organization to register. Instead of that, the administrator of the server  3  tracks the accessing status of the homepage, the utilization status of the bulletin board, the utilization status of the mailing list, and the like for each member of each organization, and records them. Each member is enabled to receive a service after login using an ID and a password, and by this, the utilization status as described above is recorded. On the other hand, it presents the advertiser with the registered contents allowed by each organization, for example, the category of the organization, and makes a pay delivery service of a banner advertisement on a homepage or a bulletin board, and a mail advertisement using a mailing list. The advertisement provision destination organizations can be extracted in accordance with a procedure described below so that the cost effectiveness of the advertiser is raised.  
         [0034]    Next, the processing flow of the system shown in FIG. 1 will be described by using FIGS.  2  to  18 . First, an organization registration processing (for example, registration processing of the A organization) will be described by using FIG. 2. This organization registration processing is a part of the organization management functions  316  or  336 . First, the person in charge of the affairs of the A organization causes the A organization secretariat terminal  5  to access an organization registration homepage (step S 1 ). In response to this, the server  3  transmits screen information (for example, an HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) file and image files if images are included) of an organization registration page to the A organization secretariat terminal  5  (step S 3 ). The A organization secretariat terminal  5  receives the screen information of the organization registration page from the server  3 , and displays it on a display device (step S 5 ). On the organization registration page, there are provided input columns of information, such as an organization name, a representative name, a contact address (address, telephone number, FAX number, e-mail address), activity content, an organization category, a member structure (the total number of members, the numbers of men and women, an age group, etc.), an information open level, and a reception information category.  
         [0035]    The person in charge of the affairs of the A organization operates the A organization secretariat terminal  5  to input registration information, and the A organization secretariat terminal  5  transmits the registration information (including the organization category, information open level, reception information category, etc.) to the server  3  (step S 7 ). The server  3  receives the registration information from the A organization secretariat terminal  5 , and registers it in an organization table (FIG. 3) (step S 9 ). An example of the organization table is shown in FIG. 3. In the example of FIG. 3, an organization ID and a password, an organization name, a representative, a contact address (address, telephone number, FAX number, e-mail address), activity content, an organization category (sports course such as baseball, soccer, tennis, martial arts, ping-pong, mountaineering or dance, culture course such as play, movie, the game of go, animation, music, computer, game, handicraft, astronomy or fine art, and the others such as fan club of a personality), a member structure (the total number, the numbers of men and women, age group, etc.), an open level, a reception information category and a designated keyword, a utilization status, and an advertisement reception history are registered. The organization ID and the password are issued later and are registered.  
         [0036]    With respect to the open level, for example, among level 1 in which the organization name or the like is opened to the public, level 2 in which information up to data inputted by the organization secretariat is opened to the public, and level 3 in which information up to the result of automatic counting on the basis of the member registration data is opened to the public although it is anonymous, one of them is designated. With respect to the reception information category, for example, among category 1 signifying information up to the organization category, category 2 signifying the organization category and the information including the designated keyword, category 3 signifying the organization category, the information including the designated keyword and other agreed information, and category 4 signifying all the information, one of them is designated. With respect to the utilization status, for example, a homepage (HP) access state for each month, the number of mailing list (ML) utilizations, the number of bulletin board utilizations, and the number of substantial users for each month (the number of substantial accesses for each month) are stored. Incidentally, with respect to the number of substantial users for each month, for example, counting of each segment, such as each age group or each of the male and the female may also be performed, and a counting value for each segment may be registered.  
         [0037]    Further, information of the mailing list and information concerning the bulletin board may be stored in the organization table.  
         [0038]    Next, the server  3  transmits screen information for the member information registration to the A organization secretariat terminal  5  (step S 11 ). In response to this, the A organization secretariat terminal  5  receives the screen information for member information registration, and displays it on the display device (step S 13 ). For example, the member information registration screen is a screen for transmitting a file of a specified form, such as a CSV (Comma Separated Value) file, including the member information, to the server  3 , or a screen for inputting information of individual members. Incidentally, with respect to registration of the individual members, each member may perform the registration in compliance with a processing flow as described later, and the secretariat may not perform the registration. Here, the person in charge of the affairs of the A organization operates the A organization secretariat terminal  5  to input the member information, and the A organization secretariat terminal  5  transmits it to the server  3  (step S 15 ).  
         [0039]    The server  3  receives the member information from the A organization secretariat terminal  5 , and registers it in a member table (FIG. 4) (step S 17 ). FIG. 4 shows an example of the member table. In the example of FIG. 4, for each member, a member ID and a password, a name, a contact address (address, telephone number, FAX number), a cellular phone number, an email address, a company name, a gender, an age, business, an annual income, family information, a matter of concern, and a settlement method (card, wire transfer, cash on delivery) are registered. Incidentally, all of these kinds of information are not necessarily required to be registered, and the information transmitted from the A organization secretariat terminal  5  may be part of these or all of these. The member ID and the password may be issued by the server  3 .  
         [0040]    The server  3  issues the organization ID and the password after the step S 17 , and registers them in the organization table (FIG. 3) (step S 19 ). The organization ID and the password become the ID and the password used by the A organization secretariat. The organization ID and the password may be issued after the step S 9  and may be registered in the organization table. Then, the server  3  transmits the issued organization ID and the password to the A organization secretariat terminal  5  (step S 21 ). Then, the A organization secretariat terminal  5  receives the organization ID and the password and displays them on the display device (step S 23 ) . The person in charge of the affairs of the A organization sees the display device, records the ID and the password, and uses them in the case where they are later required for changing the setting of the organization or the member of the organization, for uploading a file for the homepage or the like. Incidentally, with respect to the ID and the password, those that are determined by the person himself or herself in charge of the affairs of the organization may be registered. Besides, only the password may be issued by the server  3 .  
         [0041]    Thus, the person in charge of the affairs of the organization can easily register the information in the server  3 , and various services can be received.  
         [0042]    In the case where the organization secretariat does not perform any registration of the members in the processing flow shown in FIG. 2 or in the case where he or she registers only part of information, it is necessary that the individual members operate the organization member terminal to perform the member registration. A processing flow at the time when the individual members (here, members of the A organization) perform the member registration will be described by using FIG. 5. The member registration processing is part of the organization management functions  316  or  336 . First, a member causes the A organization member terminal  7  to access a member registration page of the A organization (step S 25 ). The server  3  transmits screen information of the member registration page to the A organization member terminal  7  (step S 27 ). The A organization member terminal  7  receives the screen information of the member registration page from the server  3  and displays it on the display device (step S 29 ). For example, each item (except for the member ID and the password) of the member table shown in FIG. 4 is indicated, and the input column corresponding to that is provided. Incidentally, although new registration is considered here, in the case where the organization secretariat registers part of the member information, after an authentication processing is executed, the member registration page in a state where the already registered contents are inputted in the input columns is displayed in the A organization member terminal  7 .  
         [0043]    The member inputs the member information, and the A organization member terminal  7  transmits the inputted member information to the server  3  (step S 31 ). The server  3  receives the member information from the A organization member terminal  7 , and registers it in the member table (FIG. 4) (step S 33 ). Then, in the case of new registration, a member ID and a password are issued and are transmitted to the A organization member terminal  7  (step S 35 ). The A organization member terminal  7  receives the member ID and the password from the server  3  and displays them on the display device (step S 37 ). The member records the displayed member ID and the password, and when receiving the service of the server  3 , the member uses the member ID and the password to log in. Although the member ID and the password are issued by the server  3 , the member can register them in the form where they are included in the member information. In such a case, the processing subsequent to the step S 35  is omitted. Further, the member ID can be set to a member ID already allocated in the organization. Only the password may be issued by the server  3 .  
         [0044]    Thus, the A organization and the member having been registered can receive the services of the server  3 , such as the homepage  310 , the bulletin board  312 , the mailing list  314  and the organization management function  316 .  
         [0045]    Next, a processing flow in a case where the organization secretariat receives the provision of information registered by the advertiser or the like will be described by using FIG. 6. The person in charge of the affairs of the A organization causes the A organization secretariat terminal  5  to access a provided information search page (step S 41 ). Incidentally, it is assumed that the authentication processing is completed by the organization ID and the password. In response to this, the server  3  transmits screen information of the provided information search page to the A organization secretariat terminal  5  (step S 43 ). The A organization secretariat terminal  5  receives the screen information of the provided information search page from the server  3  and displays it on the display device (step S 45 ). The person in charge of the affairs of the A organization inputs a search condition, and the A organization secretariat terminal  5  transmits the search condition to the server  3  (step S 47 ). The server  3  receives the search condition from the A organization secretariat terminal  5  (step S 49 ), and executes the search for a provided information table (described later in detail) on the basis of the search condition (step S 51 ).  
         [0046]    The server  3  uses the search result at the step S 51 , generates screen information for the search result display, and transmits it to the A organization secretariat terminal  5  (step S 53 ). The A organization secretariat terminal  5  receives the screen information for the search result display, and displays it on the display device (step S 55 ). The person in charge of the affairs of the organization sees this display screen, and selects information to be provided to the members. In the case where plural kinds of information are included in the search result, the propriety of provision as to each kinds of information is inputted. The A organization secretariat terminal  5  transmits the information as to the propriety of provision to the members to the server  3  (step S 57 ). When the server  3  receives the information as to the propriety of provision to the members from the A organization secretariat terminal  5  (step S 59 ), if there is information which can be provided, the server updates and registers an information (advertisement) reception history (organization table (FIG. 3)) (step S 61 ). Here, the information as to what advertisement and information has been accepted is registered, and according to circumstances, when an advertisement provision destination is determined, the advertiser or the like refers to the information. Incidentally, the information is not limited to an advertisement. For example, it includes publicity of an event or the like. Incidentally, when the response from the A organization secretariat terminal  5  is only provision disapproval (disapproval of information reception), step S 61  and step S 63  are skipped.  
         [0047]    With respect to the information of provision approval, the server  3  carries out an information delivery processing to the members of the A organization in accordance with an information provision method (method of, for example, mail or banner advertisement) set in the information (step S 63 ).  
         [0048]    If doing so, the organization is not a mere receiver of information, but is enabled to search information appearing to be necessary for the organization in accordance with the judgment of the organization secretariat, and actively provide it to the organization members. In the organization, on the bulletin board (meeting room) or the like, arguments as to the information (or a commodity or a service as an advertisement object) provided in this way are enabled. The advertiser can obtain an unexpected advertisement effect.  
         [0049]    Next, a processing flow in which the advertiser uses the server  3  to search an advertisement provision destination meeting a condition and to deliver an advertisement, will be described by using FIGS.  7  to  18 . Here, the case of the staff member of the A advertiser will be described. The staff member of the A advertiser causes the A advertiser terminal  13  to access an information provider registration page (step S 71 ). In response to this, the server  3  transmits screen information of the information provider registration page to the A advertiser terminal  13  (step S 73 ). The A advertiser terminal  13  receives the screen information of the information provider registration page from the server  3  and displays it on the display device (step S 75 ) On the information provider registration page, input columns of, for example, a name or a company name, a contact address (address, telephone number, FAX number, e-mail address, etc.), a name of a person in charge, business content or activity content, an activity category (maker, dealer, or information provider, etc.), company information and the like are provided, and the staff member of the A advertiser inputs information in the input columns. Then, he or she causes the A advertiser terminal  13  to transmit the inputted registration information to the server  3  (step S 77 ). The server  3  receives the registration information from the A advertiser terminal  13 , and registers it in an information provider table (FIG. 8) (step  79 ).  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 8 shows an example of the information provider table. In the example of FIG. 8, a provider ID and a password, a name or a company name, a contact address (address, telephone number, FAX number, e-mail address, etc.), a name of the person in charge, business content or activity content, an activity category (maker, dealer, or information provider, etc.), company information, an information provision history describer later, and the like are registered.  
         [0051]    The server  3  issues the provider ID and the password, registers them in the information provider table (FIG. 8), and transmits them to the A advertiser terminal  13  (step S 81 ). The A advertiser terminal  13  receives the provider ID and the password from the server  3 , and displays them on the display device (step S 83 ). The staff member of the A advertiser records the provider ID and the password. Then, he or she operates the A advertiser terminal  13  and causes it to access a registered provider menu page (step S 85 ). In response to the access, the server  3  transmits screen information of the registered provider menu page to the A advertiser terminal  13  (step S 87 ). The A advertiser terminal  13  receives the screen information of the registered provider menu page from the server  3  and displays it on the display device (step S 89 ).  
         [0052]    The registered provider menu page includes, for example, an item of registration of information provision content and search of information provision destination, and an item of organization list by categories. Here, the staff member of the A advertiser selects the item of the registration of the information provision content and the search of the information provision destination, and the A advertiser terminal  13  transmits the selection input of the registration of the information provision content and the search of the information provision destination to the server  3  (step S 91 ). The server  3  receives the selection input of the registration of the information provision content and the search of the information provision destination from the A advertiser terminal  13  (step S 93 ), and transmits screen information of a provision method selection page to the A advertiser terminal  13  (step S 95 ). The A advertiser terminal  13  receives the screen information of the provision method selection page from the server  3 , and displays it on the display device (step S 97 ) The provision method selection page includes an option of, for example, a banner advertisement and a mail advertisement.  
         [0053]    The staff member of the A advertiser selects a provision method of an advertisement at this time, and the A advertiser terminal  13  transmits the selection input of the provision method to the server  3  (step S 99 ). When the server  3  receives the selection input of the provision method from the A advertiser terminal (step S 101 ), it transmits screen information for the registration of the information provision content and the search of the information provision destination in accordance with the provision method to the A advertiser terminal  13  (step S 103 ). The A advertiser terminal  13  receives the screen information for the registration of the information provision content and the search of the information provision destination from the server  3 , and displays it on the display device (step S 105 ). For example, FIG. 9 shows an example of a screen displayed in the case where the mail advertisement (mail information provision) is selected.  
         [0054]    In FIG. 9, there are provided an outgoing mail content input column  900  for inputting outgoing mail content (including URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of a link destination), a sports course category selection column  902 , a culture course category selection column  904 , and the other category selection column  905 , which are included in a provision destination category selection column for narrowing organizations, a free keyword column  906  for inputting a free keyword for narrowing the organizations, a gender selection column  908  and an age group selection column  910 , to define a counting object range of the number of substantial users in a target range of an advertisement, a budget amount input column  912  of a budget condition, and an input column  914  of the number of times. Incidentally, a column for inputting a condition as to an information open level of the organization may be provided, and designation may be made to an organization, which has, for example, level 2.  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 10 shows a screen example displayed in the case where the banner advertisement (banner information provision) is selected. In FIG. 10, there are provided a column  1000  for inputting text content contained in the banner, a column  1002  for inputting a file name of a banner image, an input column  1004  of a link destination URL (address) in the case where the banner advertisement is clicked, a sports course category selection column  1006 , a culture course category selection column  1008 , and other category selection column  1010 , which are included in a provision destination category selection column for narrowing organizations, a free keyword column  1012  for inputting a free keyword for narrowing the organizations, a gender selection column  1014  and an age group selection column  1016 , to define a counting object range of the number of substantial users in a target range of the advertisement, a budget amount input column  1018  of a budget condition, and a period selection column  1020 . Incidentally, a column for inputting a condition as to an information open level of the organization may be provided, and designation may be set to an organization, which has, for example, level  3 .  
         [0056]    The information inputted by the staff member of the A advertiser in accordance with FIG. 9 or FIG. 10 as stated above and files to be used are transmitted as the information provision content and the search condition of the information provision destination to the server  3  by the A advertiser terminal  13  (step S 107 ). The server  3  receives the information provision content and the search condition of the information provision destination from the A advertiser terminal  13 , and registers them in a provided information table (FIG. 11) (step S 109 ). FIG. 11 shows an example of the provided information table. In the example of FIG. 11, there are registered a provider ID, a registration date and time, an information category (advertisement or information provision. Registration is arbitrary), a delivery method (mail or banner), content (file names of a text, an image, a sound, a moving image, etc.), a search condition (an organization category, a keyword, a member structure (gender, age group, etc.)) concerning a provision destination, a provisionally determined organization, a determined provision destination, a budget amount, and a period or the number of times, etc. Incidentally, with respect to the provisionally determined organization of the advertisement etc., a search result described later or the like is recorded. An organization for which the delivery of an advertisement or the like is determined is registered as the determined provision destination.  
         [0057]    The processing proceeds to FIG. 12 through terminal A and B. The server  3  executes a provision destination extraction processing (step S 102 ). The provision destination extraction processing will be described by using FIGS. 13 and 14. Incidentally, the processing of FIG. 13 is a processing, which is executed by the utilization status collector  350  and the substantial user number counter  352  in the background, while each member of each organization uses the server  3 . In FIG. 13, the utilization status collector  350  collects an access state to an organization homepage, a bulletin board utterance state, and a mailing list utterance state within a predetermined period (step S 151 ). That is, a record is made as to who uses which service. Then, the substantial user number counter  352  counts for each user, calculates the number of substantial users in the whole organization and in each segment of the organization, and registers them in the utilization status registration column of the organization table (FIG. 3) (step S 153 ).  
         [0058]    Then, a provision destination extraction processing by the organization search unit (FIG. 14) is performed. In this embodiment, first, a search is performed using a category (step S 161 ). For example, in the examples of FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, tennis is designated as a search category, and organizations in which tennis is designated in the category column of the organization table are extracted. Next, narrowing is performed by a keyword (step S 163 ). Although not inputted in the examples of FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, narrowing is performed using a word inputted as a free keyword. Further, it is judged whether an open level is designated in the search condition (step S 165 ). For an advertiser, since an organization providing many pieces of information to the advertiser side is preferable as an advertisement provision destination, the designation of the open level may be included in the search condition. In case the designation of the open level is included in the search condition, narrowing is performed using the designated open level (step S 167 ). For example, it is judged whether the open level in the open level column of the organization table is the designated open level or a level higher than the designated open level.  
         [0059]    With respect to the organizations narrowed in this way, the number of substantial users in the designated segment is counted, and priority order is determined (step S 169 ). In the example of FIG. 9, the segment is designated in which the gender is “male and female”, and the age group is “young and middle”, and in the example of FIG. 10, the segment is designated in which the gender is “male and female”, and the age group is “young”. Accordingly, the number of substantial users is counted in this range. Then, the advertisement fee calculator  356  is further used to calculate an advertisement fee for each organization (step S 171 ), and provision destination organizations are determined within the range of the budget condition (step S 173 ).  
         [0060]    [0060]FIG. 15 shows a specific example. Here, it is assumed that up to the step S 167 , three organizations of Green tennis club, Naniwa tennis club, and Hakata tennis club are extracted. With respect to the registration number in the segments (male and female, young and middle) designated in FIG. 9, the order is such that Naniwa tennis club is 2300 (=1000+500+300+500), Green tennis club is 1800 (=700+500+300+300), and Hakata tennis club is 800 (=300+200+100+200). On the other hand, with respect to the number of substantial users, the order is such that Green tennis club is 1000 (300+300+200+200), Hakata tennis club is 800 (=300+200+100+200), and Naniwa tennis club is 500 (=200+100+100+100). Since it is preferable that an advertisement is delivered to an organization having a high use frequency, here, a judgment is made on the basis of the number of substantial users. Incidentally, a judgment is not made on the basis of the number of accesses, since there is also a case where only partial members frequently use, and in such a case, the number of accesses does not necessarily reflect the activity state of the organization.  
         [0061]    In this example, an advertisement fee of mail advertisement is 50 yen per mail. In the condition of FIG. 9, since the budget condition is such that transmission is made twice in the budget amount of 180,000 yen, 1,800 mails (=180,000/2/50) can be sent at a time. Green tennis club has 1,000 substantial users, Hakata tennis club has 800 substantial users, and the total is 1,800. Accordingly, it is understood to be appropriate that the mail advertisements are delivered to Green tennis club and Hakata tennis club.  
         [0062]    Incidentally, since the mail advertisements are delivered using the mailing list, the mail advertisements are also actually delivered to members not meeting the condition of young and middle. In this case, the advertiser can deliver the mail advertisements to persons over the budget, and there is possibility that an advertisement effect beyond expectations is obtained.  
         [0063]    Besides, with respect to the number of registered persons in the segment (male and female and young) designated in FIG. 10, the order is such that Green tennis club is 1,200 (=700+500), Naniwa tennis club is 1,500 (=1,000+500), and Hakata tennis club is 500 (=300+200). On the other hand, with respect to the number of substantial users, the order is such that Green tennis club is 600 (=300+300), Hakata tennis club is 500 (=300+200), and Naniwa tennis club is 300 (=200+100).  
         [0064]    In FIG. 10, the banner advertisement for one month is scheduled, and in this embodiment, the unit cost is 10 yen per exposure. In this embodiment, the advertisement fee is calculated by unit cost×(the number of substantial users in the segment designated by the search condition)×(the number of accesses per substantial user in the segment designated by the search condition). Incidentally, (the number of accesses per substantial user in the segment designated by the search condition)=(the number of accesses in the segment designated by the search condition)/(the number of substantial users). Besides, in the example of FIG. 10, the budget amount is 150,000 yen.  
         [0065]    When FIG. 15 is viewed, the number of accesses in the segment designated by the search condition of Green tennis club is  7 , 500 , and the cost is 75,000 yen. The number of accesses in the segment designated by the search condition of Hakata tennis club is  7 , 500  and the cost is 75,000 yen. Since the total is 150,000 yen, in the example of FIG. 15, it is understood to be appropriate that the banner advertisements to Green tennis club and Hakata tennis club are delivered.  
         [0066]    When the provision destination extraction processing is performed as shown in FIG. 14 and the provision destinations are extracted, the server  3  generates screen information of a provision destination list, and transmits it to the A advertiser terminal  13  (FIG. 12: step S 104 ). Then, the A advertiser terminal  13  receives the screen information of the provision destination list from the server  3 , and displays it on the display device (step S 106 ). For example, the screen for the list of the mail advertisement delivery destination as shown in FIG. 16 is displayed in relation to FIG. 9. In the example of FIG. 16, although the organization name of the mail advertisement delivery destination and the number of registered persons are displayed, when the designated open level (organization table (FIG. 3)) is such a level that opening to the public is allowed, data such as the number of substantial users may be displayed. Besides, in relation to FIG. 10, the screen for the list of the banner advertisement placement destination as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed. Similarly to FIG. 16, although the organization name of the placement destination and the number of registered persons are displayed in FIG. 17, when the designated open level (organization table (FIG. 3)) is such a level that opening to the public is allowed, data such as the number of substantial users may be displayed.  
         [0067]    The staff member of the A advertiser refers to such data and judges whether the advertisement delivery should be made. Then, he or she operates the A advertiser terminal  13  and causes the A advertiser terminal  13  to transmit the confirmation input (registration or cancel instruction) to the server  3  (step S 108 ). The server  3  receives the confirmation input from the A advertiser terminal  13  (step S 110 ). In case the cancel instruction has been issued, the processing returns to the step S 95  of FIG. 7 through terminal C. In case the registration instruction has been issued, the provision destination is registered as a provisionally determined organization in, for example, the provision destination of the provided information table (FIG. 11) (step S 111 ).  
         [0068]    Besides, the server  3  transmits the screen information of the registered provider menu page to the A advertiser terminal  13  (step S 113 ). The A advertiser terminal  13  receives the screen information of the registered provider menu page from the server  3  and displays it on the display device (step S 115 ). Here, the staff member of the A advertiser refers to the organization list by categories and judges whether the organization of the advertisement delivery destination should be further added. Then, he or she clicks the item of the organization list by categories (including specific category designation), and causes the A advertiser terminal  13  to transmit the selection input of the organization list by categories (including specific category designation) to the server  3  (step S 117 ). The server  3  receives the selection input of the organization list by categories (including specific category designation) from the A advertiser terminal  13  (step S 119 ), generates screen information for the organization list of the designated category, and transmits it to the A advertiser terminal (step S 121 ).  
         [0069]    The A advertiser terminal  13  receives the screen information for the organization list of the designated category from the server  3 , and displays it on the display device (step S 123 ). The staff member of the A advertiser searches for a suitable organization other than the organizations extracted at the step S 101 . If a suitable organization is found, he or she selects it as the organization of the provision destination, and causes the A advertiser terminal  13  to transmit the selection input of the provision destination organization to the server  3  (step S 125 ). The server  3  receives the selection input of the provision destination organization from the A advertiser terminal  13 , and registers it as a provisionally determined organization in the provision destination of the provided information table (FIG. 11) (step S 127 ). The processing proceeds to FIG. 18 through terminal D.  
         [0070]    Then, with respect to the organization in which the provision destination registration has been made, it is confirmed by referring to the organization table (FIG. 3) whether approval is required (FIG. 18: step S 129 ). For example, in the reception information category column of the organization table of FIG. 3, a judgment is made as to whether it is stipulated that approval is required for reception. In case approval is not required and the advertisement is such that reception disapproval is not stipulated in the reception information category column, the processing proceeds to step S 145 . In case the advertisement is such that reception disapproval is stipulated, the organization is deleted from the provisionally determined organization of the provision destination in the provided information table (FIG. 11). If approval is required, an approval request mail is transmitted to the organization secretariat (step S 131 ).  
         [0071]    The organization secretariat terminal receives the approval request mail including the advertisement content (step S 135 ), and displays it to the person in charge of the affairs of the organization. The person in charge of the affairs or the representative of the organization judges the propriety of provision of the advertisement to the members. Then, he or she causes the organization secretariat terminal to transmit the reply of approval or disapproval to the server  3  (step S 137 ). Incidentally, the reply mail may have such a form that access is made to the server  3  from the URL included in the approval request mail, and input is made in the access destination screen, or may have such a form that a reply is made by an e-mail. The server  3  receives the reply of approval or disapproval from the organization secretariat terminal, and temporarily stores it in the storage device (step S 139 ). Then, the server judges whether it is approval or not (step S 141 ). If the response from the organization secretariat terminal is disapproval, the organization is deleted from the provisionally determined organization of the provision destination in the provided information table (FIG. 11) (step S 143 ).  
         [0072]    In the case where approval is not required and in the case where approval is obtained, the server  3  registers the organization, which has been registered as the provisionally determined organization in the provided information table (FIG. 11), as the determined provision destination. Besides, the server stores information concerning the provision destination organization in the information provision history of the information provider table (FIG. 8), and stores information concerning the provided information in the reception history of the organization table (FIG. 3) (step S 145 ). Then, the server delivers the mail advertisement by the mailing list to the determined provision destination organization registered in the provision information table (FIG. 11) in accordance with the set delivery method, or put the banner advertisement on the homepage of the organization (step S 147 ).  
         [0073]    Incidentally, the provided information table (FIG. 11), the member table (FIG. 4), the information provider table (FIG.  8 ) and the organization table (FIG. 3) are provided in database managed by the server  3 .  
         [0074]    If doing so, the advertiser can easily find out the organization with lively activity in the server  3  on the basis of the number of substantial users, and further, can find out a more suitable advertisement provision destination by combining a category of the organization and/or a keyword.  
         [0075]    The embodiment described above is a mere example, and various modifications can be made. For example, although the member of the organization logs in by using the ID and the password in order to grasp the utilization status, for example, a cookie may be used to grasp the access or the like. Besides, in the processing flow shown in FIG. 6, it is also possible for the organization itself not to perform such a processing as to select information such as advertisement to deliver it to the members. The screen examples described above are mere examples, and other structures having the same content may be adopted. As for the category of the organization may be such that more kinds may be selected, or the kinds of categories may be decreased.  
         [0076]    In FIG. 7, in order to perform the registration of the information provision content and the search of the information provision destination, first, the provision method (delivery method) is selected, and then, the registration of the specific information provision content and the search condition of the information provision destination are inputted, however, the provision method may be selected on the registered provider menu page, or may be designated on a screen for inputting the registration of the specific information provision content and the search condition of the information provision destination.  
         [0077]    In FIG. 12, although the provision destination organization is further selected from the organization list by categories, it is also possible to handle only the provision destination extracted by the provision destination extraction processing at the step S 102 . According to circumstances, the provision destination organization may be selected from only the organization list by categories.  
         [0078]    In FIGS. 16 and 17, although the advertisement fee is not displayed, the server  3  may generate the screen information so as to display the advertisement fee for each organization and in total, and may transmit it to the advertiser terminal.  
         [0079]    Incidentally, in the above description, although the number of substantial users is counted for the members of the organization, as long as an advertisement medium is such that the number of substantial users can be counted, a suitable advertisement provision destination can be extracted using a similar method.  
         [0080]    A program for executing the processing described above is installed in the server  3 , and the program may be stored in a storage medium or a storage device and may be delivered. The intermediate data is stored in the storage device such as a main memory of the server  9 . Besides, the program may be delivered through the network. Incidentally, that the screen information including the input column is transmitted has a meaning to prompt the user as the receiver to make an input.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6