JP2002304571A - Flyer distribution system, flyer distribution computer, and flyer distribution method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] To improve the drawbacks of the conventional flyer distribution. An electronic publication format flyer is created by a computer installed in a printing company.
Send to the computer installed in the flyer distribution company, by the computer installed in the flyer distribution company, receive the flyer in the format for electronic publishing,
It is stored, transmitted to a computer installed at the flyer distribution base, and received and output by the computer installed at the flyer distribution base in an electronic publishing format.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a flyer distribution system, a flyer distribution computer, and a flyer distribution method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, flyers have been used in a manner of providing information close to a region to people in the region.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-63749 discloses that it is difficult to compare products sold at each store, obtain detailed information on products, and create a shopping list. As a problem. In order to solve these problems, we manage the product information handled by each local store in a database, search for the desired product from the database from the customer's personal computer or other terminal via the network, Proposes that the product can be purchased.

[0004] However, the contents described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-63749 have problems in the following points for a local store, particularly a store that sells fresh food products.

[0005] First, the main purpose of flyer-listed products is to attract customers, and by collecting customers in stores, it is intended to purchase products other than flyer-listed products.

Second, there is often no time for registering detailed information of a product in a database.

[0007] Third, by devising a flyer design, differentiation from other stores, reflection of sales intentions, and guidance of consumers are performed.

Further, for consumers, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-6
The contents described in Japanese Patent No. 3749 have the following problems.

First, in the case of groceries and the like, a menu is determined by looking at the sale items in general, rather than a case where a product to be purchased is determined before viewing an advertisement medium such as a flyer, and a product that matches the menu is determined. Is more often purchased, and it is difficult to list target product names as search conditions.

Secondly, flyers are often useful as a service for events and public information.
It is not just information that can be managed in a database.

Third, in the case of fresh food, factors for determining whether or not to purchase are freshness, selling condition, size of one fruit, etc. in addition to the price. It is almost difficult to achieve similar specifications.

Therefore, it can be said that the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-63749 does not replace a flyer.

[0013]

By the way, flyers are
It is printed by a printing company and passed through a flyer delivery company called an insertion agency, which is folded and distributed in newspapers at a newspaper store.

For this reason, after the leaflet is printed,
It takes a lot of time before it is delivered to a newspaper store, and generally printing must be completed two days before the insertion date.

When the number of leaflets to be folded into one newspaper increases, the time and labor required for the folding work cannot be ignored. In addition, the possibility of a folding mistake increases. In addition, the weight of the newspaper with the flyer folded in becomes considerable, making delivery difficult.

[0016] Flyers are collected together with newspapers and used as a raw material for recycled paper. To manufacture such recycled paper, various resources must be consumed.

An object of the present invention is to improve at least one of the drawbacks associated with such conventional flyer distribution.

[0018]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object in the present invention, first, according to the first aspect of the present invention, one or more computers installed in one or a plurality of printing companies and a flyer distribution system are provided. A system comprising one or more computers installed in a company and one or more computers installed in one or more flyer distribution bases, wherein the computers are connected to a network, Computers installed at printing companies include:
Some have a means for creating a flyer in an electronic publishing format, and a computer installed in a printing company has means for transmitting a flyer in an electronic publishing format to a computer installed in a flyer distribution company Some of the computers installed at the flyer distribution company have means to receive the electronic publishing format flyer transmitted from the computer installed at the printing company, and some are installed at the flyer distribution company. Some computers are equipped with means for storing flyers in the format of electronic publishing, and the computers installed in flyer distribution companies have installed flyers in the format of electronic publishing at flyer distribution bases. Some have a means to send to
Some computers installed at flyer distribution bases have means for receiving a flyer in an electronic publishing format transmitted from a computer installed at a flyer distribution company, and are installed at the flyer distribution base. There is a computer provided with means for outputting a flyer in a format for electronic publication, which is a flyer distribution system.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, any one of the computers included in the flyer distribution system according to the first aspect includes one or more of the means according to the first aspect. This is a computer for distributing flyers.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, one or more computers installed in one or more printing companies,
The system includes one or more computers installed in a flyer distribution company and one or more computers installed in one or more flyer distribution bases, and the computers are executed in a system connected to a network. A method in which a flyer in an electronic publishing format is created by a computer installed in a printing company, and a flyer in an electronic publishing format is sent to a flyer distribution company by a computer installed in the printing company. Transmitting to a computer located at
A step of receiving a flyer in an electronic publishing format transmitted from a computer installed in a printing company by a computer installed in a flyer distribution company, and a step in which electronic publication is performed by a computer installed in the flyer distribution company. Storing the flyer of the format, and transmitting the flyer in the format for electronic publishing to the computer installed at the flyer distribution base by a computer installed in the flyer distribution company,
The process of receiving a flyer in an electronic publishing format transmitted from a computer installed at a flyer distribution company by a computer installed at the flyer distribution base, and a process of electronic publishing by a computer installed at the flyer distribution base And outputting a flyer in a format for use.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method which is executed by any one of the computers provided in the system for executing the flyer distribution method according to the third aspect. And a flyer distribution method characterized by including one or more of the above.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, one or more computers installed in one or more flyer requesters, one or more computers installed in a printing company, and one or more 1 which is installed in handbill distribution base
A system comprising at least one computer and the computers connected to a network.
Some printers have means for transmitting to the computer of the printing company, and some computers of the printing company have means for receiving the material data of the flyer transmitted from the computer of the flyer requester. Some have a means for creating a flyer in an electronic publishing format from material data of a flyer, and some printing company computers have means for storing a flyer in an electronic publishing format. Some computers have means for transmitting a flyer in a format for electronic publishing to a computer installed at a flyer distribution base, and some computers installed at the flyer distribution base are installed at a printing company. Hand to receive flyers in electronic publishing format sent from the computer There are those comprising, on a computer that is installed in the flyer distribution hub are provided with a means for outputting a flyer electronic publishing format,
This is a flyer distribution system characterized by this.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, any one of the plurality of computers included in the flyer distribution system according to the fifth aspect includes one or more of the means according to the fifth aspect. This is a computer for distributing flyers.

According to the invention of claim 7, one or more computers installed in one or more flyer requesters, one or more computers installed in a printing company, and one or more 1 which is installed in handbill distribution base
And a method performed on a system in which the computers are connected to a network, the method comprising: transmitting material data of a flyer to a computer of a printing company by a computer of a flyer requester; A step of receiving, by the computer of the printing company, the material data of the flyer transmitted from the computer of the flyer requester; a step of creating a flyer in a format for electronic publishing from the material data of the flyer by the computer of the printing company; A step of storing a flyer in an electronic publishing format by a computer of a printing company, a step of transmitting a flyer in an electronic publishing format by a computer of the printing company to a computer installed in a flyer distribution base, and a step of distributing the flyer. Compilers installed in Receiving a flyer in an electronic publishing format transmitted from a computer installed in a printing company by a data provider, and outputting a flyer in an electronic publishing format by a computer installed in a flyer distribution base And a flyer distribution method.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method which is executed by any one of the computers provided in the system for executing the flyer distribution method according to the seventh aspect. And a flyer distribution method characterized by including one or more of the above.

[0026]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 1: First Embodiment Here, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

1-1: Person According to First Embodiment Persons according to the first embodiment include a flyer requester, a printing company, a flyer distribution company, and a newspaper store.

A flyer requester is a person who requests a printing company to produce and distribute a flyer.

The printing company receives a request for the production and distribution of a flyer from a flyer requester, creates a flyer in an electronic publishing format, sends the created flyer (electronic publishing format) to a flyer distribution company, and sends the flyer. (Electronic publishing format) The person who requests the distribution of the flyer distribution company. This format for electronic publishing allows the same output on various computers.
Adobe's PDF (Portable Documen)
t Format).

The flyer distribution company receives the flyer (electronic publishing format), stores the flyer (electronic publishing format), sends the flyer (electronic publishing format) to a newspaper store, and stores the flyer (electronic publishing format). ) Is the one who asks a newspaper store for distribution.

The newspaper store is a distribution base for flyers,
The person who receives the flyer (electronic publishing format) from the flyer distribution company, records the flyer (electronic publishing format) on a recording medium or prints it on paper, and distributes it to the subscriber along with the newspaper. The recording medium is a memory card, MO, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R,
It is a computer-readable recording medium such as a DVD-RAM or HD. In the case of flyers printed on paper, they will be distributed in newspapers.

A plurality of flyer requesters may be provided for one printing company. Further, there may be a plurality of printing companies for one flyer distribution company. Also, there may be a plurality of newspaper stores for one flyer distribution company. Further, one of the printing companies may also serve as a flyer distribution company.

1-2: Configuration of the System According to the First Embodiment As shown in FIG. 1, the system according to the first embodiment includes at least one printing company, one flyer distribution company, and one newspaper store. A system having the above-described computers is installed, and the computers are connected to a network. The network may be of any type and form as long as data communication is possible between these computers. It may be wired or wireless. Further, it may be a closed network such as a dedicated line or an open network such as the Internet.

As shown in FIG. 3, the computer generally includes a central processing unit, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device,
An input device, an output device, a communication control device, and a clock device are provided, and these devices are connected to a bus.

The central processing unit has a CPU (Central)
It is also called a Processing Unit, and is a device that controls each device and performs various calculations by executing a program.

The main storage device is a device for temporarily storing data and programs in order for the central processing unit to execute the programs. As an example of the main storage device, a RAM (Ran
dom Access Memory).

The auxiliary storage device is a storage device for storing data and programs permanently. As an example of the auxiliary storage device, H
D (Hard Disk). The program stored in the auxiliary storage device is loaded into the main storage device and executed by the central processing unit.

The input device is a device for inputting information (data). Examples of the input device include a keyboard, a mouse, and a scanner.

The output device is a device for outputting information (data). Examples of the output device include a display (display device) and a printer.

The communication control device is a type of input / output device, and is a device for controlling data input / output via a network.

The clock device is a type of input device that notifies the central processing unit of the time.

The bus is a transmission path for transferring data between the main storage device and each device other than the main storage device.

As shown in FIG. 1, some computers of a printing company may include a scanner as an input device. The computer of the printing company has a DTP (Desk Top P) in an auxiliary storage device provided in the computer.
publishing program and may function as a DTP system. In this specification, a computer functioning as a DTP system is simply referred to as a DTP system. Also, some computers of printing companies store a program for converting a data format representing a flyer into a format for electronic publishing in an auxiliary storage device provided in the computer, and execute the program. This program may be attached to the DTP software.

The computer of the flyer distribution company has
As shown in (1), there is a type in which a database management program is stored in the auxiliary storage device, and a flyer (electronic publishing format) stored in the auxiliary storage device is managed as being stored in the database. Details of the database will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 1, some computers at newspaper stores include one or both of a recording medium writing device and a printer as one type of output device. This recording medium writing device is a device for recording a flyer (electronic publishing format) on a recording medium.

1-3: Database Flyer (electronic publishing format) is filled in with values of items characterizing the flyer and stored in the database. In this specification, this item is referred to as DB (DataBas).
e) Also called an item.

The DB items include, for example, a distribution area number, a sale period, a distribution date, a distribution quantity, a target newspaper company, a client, and a production printing company. FIG. 2 shows the distribution area number value 35.
Is shown in a flyer (electronic publishing format).

The distribution area number is a number for specifying an area to distribute a flyer, and may be different for each newspaper company. Each newspaper publishes, for each region specified by each distribution region number, a newspaper store in charge of that region. Also, each newspaper company has set a newspaper store number for each newspaper store to identify the newspaper store.

The sale period is a period during which a sale such as a bargain sale is performed when the requester of the flyer is a retailer.

The distribution date is a date for distributing a flyer to a newspaper subscriber together with the newspaper.

The number of distributions is the number of leaflets to be distributed, and indicates one or both of the number of distributions recorded on a recording medium and the number of distributions printed on paper.

The target newspaper publisher is a newspaper publisher that issues newspapers to be distributed with flyers.

The requester is a leaflet requester.

The production printing company is a printing company that has created a flyer.

The values of the DB items to be entered in the flyer (electronic publishing format) are, for example, color, character size, typeface,
Coordinates and other forms that can be identified by a computer. This makes it possible to search for flyers (electronic publishing format) from the database using the DB items.

Further, the storage area of the database is divided into partial areas by the value of the DB item, and the flyer (electronic publishing format) is stored in the partial area corresponding to the value of the DB item written in the flyer. You may do it. DB used to divide the storage area of the database into partial areas
The number of items may be one or more.
By doing so, it becomes possible to retrieve a flyer from the database at a high speed with the DB item used to divide the storage area of the database. FIG. 4 shows an example in which the storage area of the database is divided into partial areas by the distribution area number. In this example, the distribution area number i (1 ≦ i
<N) flyer (electronic publishing format)
Is stored in the partial area corresponding to the distribution area number i.

1-4: Example of Processing by System According to First Embodiment An example of the flow of processing by the system according to the first embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The flyer distribution company receives, in advance, from each newspaper company, for each distribution area number, information about the newspaper store in charge of the area specified by the distribution area number, and transmits the information to the computer of the flyer distribution company. It is assumed that the information is stored in the auxiliary storage device provided in.

S (STEP) 1: A flyer in an electronic publishing format is created by the computer of the printing company. The method of requesting a flyer and the method of creating a flyer are not particularly limited as long as a flyer in a format for electronic publication is finally created. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the flyer requesting method and the flyer creating method may employ various methods. For example, a printing company, from a flyer requester,
It is also possible to receive a flyer manuscript drawn on paper by hand, read the flyer manuscript as image data with a scanner, and convert the image data into an electronic publishing format. Also,
For example, a printing company receives flyer material data (product name, product price, product photograph, etc.) as computer-readable data, and uses a DTP system to convert the flyer in an electronic publishing format from the material data. May be created.

S (STEP) 2: The values of the DB items such as the distribution area number and the sale period are entered in the flyer (electronic publishing format) by the computer of the printing company.

S (STEP) 3: The computer of the printing company sends the flyer (electronic publishing format, DB item value entered) to the computer of the flyer distribution company.

S (STEP) 4: The computer of the flyer distribution company receives the flyer (electronic publishing format, DB item value entered).

S (STEP) 5: The computer of the flyer distribution company converts the received flyer (electronic publishing format, DB item value entered) into a database part corresponding to the DB item value entered in the flyer. In the area,
Store.

S (STEP) 6: The computer of the flyer distribution company sends a flyer (a format for electronic publishing, The database is searched for and read out for each newspaper store specified by the distribution area number and the target newspaper company. This transmission date may be the distribution date on the flyer or a date before the distribution date, or may be a date before or during the sale period written on the flyer. May be.

S (STEP) 7: The computer of the flyer distribution company searches and reads out the database for each newspaper store specified by the distribution area number and the target newspaper company, and reads the flyer (electronic Publishing format and DB item values) are transmitted to the computer of the newspaper store.

S (STEP) 8: The computer of the newspaper store receives the flyer (electronic publishing format, DB value entered).

S (STEP) 9: The computer of the newspaper store uses the number of recording media specified in the distribution quantity according to the distribution quantity entered in the flyer (electronic publishing format, DB value entered). Record the flyer (electronic publishing format, DB value filled in), or put the flyer (electronic publishing format, DB value filled in) on the number of papers specified in the distribution quantity Print.

2: Second Embodiment Here, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described focusing on differences from the first embodiment.

2-1: Person According to Second Embodiment Persons according to the second embodiment include a leaflet requester, a printing company, and a newspaper store.

As in the first embodiment, a flyer requester is a person who requests a printing company to produce and distribute a flyer.

The printing company receives a request for the production and distribution of a flyer from a flyer requester, creates the flyer in an electronic publishing format (for example, Adobe PDF), and creates the created flyer (electronic publishing format). Keep it, send the flyer (electronic publishing format) to a newspaper store,
The person who requests the distribution of the flyer (electronic publishing format) from a newspaper store.

The newspaper store is a distribution base for flyers,
A flyer (electronic publishing format) is received from a printing company, and the flyer (electronic publishing format) is stored in a recording medium (for example, a memory card, MO, CD-R, or CD).
RW, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, HD) or printed on paper and distributed to subscribers along with newspapers.

A single printing company may have a plurality of flyer requesters. Also, for one printing company,
There may be multiple newspaper stores.

2-2: Configuration of System According to Second Embodiment As shown in FIG. 7, the system according to the second embodiment includes at least one flyer requester, printing company, and newspaper store. A system including the above computers is installed, and the computers are connected to a network. As in the first embodiment, any type and form of network can be used as long as data communication is possible between these computers.

The computer for the flyer requester stores a Web browser program in its auxiliary storage device,
Some function as Web clients. In this specification, a computer functioning as a Web client is abbreviated as a Web client.

The computer of the printing company stores the Web server program in its auxiliary storage device,
Some function as servers. In this specification, We
b. A computer functioning as a server
Abbreviated as server.

In the computer of the printing company, DTP software is stored in an auxiliary storage device provided therein.
Some function as TP systems. In this specification, a computer functioning as a DTP system is simply referred to as a DTP system.

In a computer of a printing company, a program for converting a format of data representing a flyer into a format for electronic publishing is stored in an auxiliary storage device provided therein, and the program for executing the program is executed. is there. This program may be attached to the DTP software.

Also, the computer of the printing company has
As shown in (1), there is an auxiliary storage device that stores a database management program and manages a flyer (distribution electronic document) stored in the auxiliary storage device as being stored in a database. This database is similar to the database in the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 7, some computers of newspaper stores include one or both of a recording medium writing device and a printer as an output device. This recording medium writing device is a device for recording a flyer (electronic publishing format) on a recording medium.

2-3: Example of Processing by System According to Second Embodiment An example of the flow of processing by the system according to the second embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
In addition, the printing company receives, in advance, from each newspaper company, for each distribution area number, information about the newspaper store in charge of the area specified by the distribution area number, and the information is provided in the computer of the printing company. It is assumed that the information is stored in the auxiliary storage device.

S (STEP) 1: A flyer request (flyer material data and flyer distribution data) is transmitted to the computer of the printing company by the flyer requester's computer. As the material data of the flyer, for example, text data such as the name and price of the product posted on the flyer,
Examples include image data such as a photograph of a product, and data related to a flyer layout. The flyer distribution data includes, for example, a distribution area (number), a distribution date, and a sale period. The transmission of the flyer request may be performed by downloading various web pages for the flyer request from the web server of the printing company to the web client of the flyer requester. Web page for flyer request,
FIGS. 9 and 10 show examples of screens displayed on the Web client of the flyer requester. FIG. 9 shows a screen on which the flyer requester selects a target newspaper company and a distribution area. In the screen of FIG. 9, when the target newspaper company and the distribution area are selected, the target newspaper company and the distribution area are transmitted to the web server of the printing company, and the web server of the printing company sends the target newspaper company and the distribution area in the distribution area. The distribution quantity is calculated and displayed from the number of subscribers. FIG.
After the target newspaper company and the distribution area are selected on the screen in FIG. 9, the flyer requester enters the sale period, and during the sale period or on a day before the sale period, the flyer to be distributed to the distribution area is displayed. This shows a state in which a file storing material data is selected. When the requester of the flyer presses the transmission button on the screen of FIG. 10 with an input device such as a mouse,
The sale period and the file storing the leaflet material data to be distributed to the distribution area during the sale period or on the day before the sale period are transmitted to the Web server of the printing company.

S (STEP) 2: The computer of the printing company receives the flyer request (flyer material data and flyer distribution data).

S (STEP) 3: A flyer in an electronic publishing format is created from the received flyer material data by the computer of the printing company.

S (STEP) 4: Using a computer of the printing company, DB items such as a distribution area number and a sale period are written in a flyer (electronic publishing format).

S (STEP) 5: The computer of the printing company stores the flyer (electronic publishing format, DB item value entered) in the partial area of the database corresponding to the entered DB item value.

S (STEP) 6: The computer of the printing company sends a flyer (electronic publishing format, DB, etc.) whose transmission date is today at a fixed time every day (for example, at 2:00 am when a flyer is distributed together with the morning edition). (Item value has been entered)
Is searched and read out for each newspaper store specified by the distribution area number and the target newspaper company. This transmission date may be the distribution date on the flyer or a date before the distribution date, or may be a date before or during the sale period written on the flyer. May be.

S (STEP) 7: The computer of the printing company searches and reads out the database for each newspaper store specified by the distribution area number and the target newspaper company, and reads the flyer whose transmission date is today (electronic publishing). Format, DB
Is sent to the computer of the newspaper store.

S (STEP) 8: The computer of the newspaper store receives the flyer (electronic publishing format, DB item value entered). FIG. 11 shows an example of a screen displaying the reception status of a flyer on a computer of a newspaper store.

S (STEP) 9: The computer of the newspaper store sends a notice of the end of the flyer, which notifies the end of the reception of the flyer, to the computer of the printing company. In the example of FIG. 11, when a reception completion button is pressed with an input device such as a mouse, a handbill reception end notification that notifies that the reception of all handbills has been completed is generated.
Sent to the printing company computer.

S (STEP) 10: The computer of the printing company receives the notice of the end of the handbill reception.

S (STEP) 11: The computer of the printing company transmits a flyer transmission end notification notifying that the transmission of the flyer has ended to the computer of the flyer requester.

S (STEP) 12: The flyer requester's computer receives the flyer transmission end notification.

S (STEP) 13: The computer of the newspaper store uses the number of recording media specified in the distribution quantity according to the distribution quantity entered in the flyer (electronic publishing format, DB value entered). Record the flyer (electronic publishing format, DB value filled in), or put the flyer (electronic publishing format, DB value filled in) on the number of papers specified in the distribution quantity Print.

While the processing of STEP 10 to STEP 12 is being executed, the flyer output of STEP 13 (recording the flyer on a recording medium or printing on paper) may be executed.

2-4: Leaflet Calibration Although the processing example of the second embodiment shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8 does not include the leaflet proofreading by the leaflet requester, the leaflet is sent from the web server of the printing company. By downloading various utility Web pages to the Web client of the flyer requester, the flyer requester may perform the flyer proofreading. FIG. 12 shows an example of a screen when the flyer calibration Web page is displayed on the client of the flyer requester.

In the example of FIG. 12, the requester of the flyer obtains from the list of the flyers waiting for the calibration corresponding to the input sale start date.
This shows the distribution area selecting the flyer for the first block (near Tama). The list of handbills is obtained by causing a computer of a printing company to search for handbills waiting for proofreading corresponding to the sale start date entered by the handbill requester.

FIG. 13 is an example of a screen displaying the flyer selected on the screen of FIG. The flyer requester proofreads the flyer displayed on this screen and sends the proofed flyer to the computer of the printing company.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the electronic publishing format is PDF.

2-5: Progress Management The printing company installs a computer that stores and manages information on the progress of the production and distribution of flyers in an auxiliary storage device, and reports the progress to the flyer requester, the printing company, and the newspaper. It may be displayed on any computer of the store. 14 and 15 show screen examples displayed on the computer of the printing company. FIG. 16 shows an example of a screen displayed on the flyer requester's computer.

The screen shown in FIG. 14 is a computer of the printing company, and lists the status of the flyer creation for each flyer requester. In the example of FIG. 14, the format for electronic publishing is PDF. The screen of FIG. 15 is a computer of the printing company, which lists the transmission status of the flyer for each target newspaper company.

The screen shown in FIG. 16 lists the progress of the production and distribution of the flyer on the computer of the flyer requester. The screen in FIG. 16 may be displayed by downloading a Web page from the Web site of the printing company to the Web client of the flyer requester.

3: Distribution Outside Newspaper Shops A system equivalent to that installed at a newspaper shop may be installed at a place other than a newspaper shop, and this may be used as a leaflet distribution base. Distribution bases other than newspaper shops include, for example, stations, convenience stores, and airports.

[0103]

The present invention has the following effects in common.

First, the flyer in the format for electronic publishing is distributed to the flyer distribution base, and the flyer is output at the distribution base. Therefore, the time for requesting the flyer can be greatly delayed as compared with the related art. Will be possible.

Secondly, if a flyer is output and recorded on a large-capacity, light-weight, compact, and low-priced recording medium at a distribution base, all the flyers are recorded on one recording medium in a short time. In addition, the time and labor required for the folding are reduced, the mistake of the folding is eliminated, and the recording medium is lightweight, so that the delivery becomes easy.

Furthermore, if the flyer is output and recorded on a readable and writable recording medium at the distribution base, the recording medium can be recovered and reused simply by erasing the flyer recorded thereon. Therefore, it can be reused much more easily than collecting a leaflet printed on a conventional paper to produce a recycled paper.

According to the fifth to eighth aspects of the present invention, in addition to the above effects, the flyer material data is transmitted from the computer of the flyer requester to the computer of the printing company via the network. It is possible to further delay the time to perform, as compared with the inventions of claims 1 to 4.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flyer (electronic publishing format) in which values of DB items are entered.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a computer.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining an example in which a storage area of a database is divided into sections by region delivery numbers.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing flow by the system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating various methods of requesting and producing a flyer.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an overall configuration of a system according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of a process performed by the system according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displaying a flyer request Web page.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displaying a flyer request Web page.

FIG. 11 is a view showing an example of a screen displaying a flyer reception status on a computer of a newspaper store.

FIG. 12 is a view showing an example of a screen displaying a flyer calibration Web page.

FIG. 13 is a view showing an example of a screen displaying a flyer for calibration.

FIG. 14 is a view showing an example of a screen displaying a flyer creation status on a computer of a printing company.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displaying a flyer transmission status on a computer of a printing company.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displaying the status of production and distribution of a flyer on the computer of the flyer requester.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. One or more computers installed at one or more printing companies, one or more computers installed at a flyer distribution company, and one or more computers installed at one or more flyer distribution bases. One or more computers, the computers being connected to a network, wherein the computer installed in the printing company has means for creating a flyer in an electronic publishing format. Some computers installed in printing companies have means to transmit flyers in electronic publishing format to computers installed in flyer distribution companies. Computers installed in flyer distribution companies Will include a flyer in electronic publishing format sent from a computer installed at the printing company. Some of the computers installed at the flyer distribution company have means to store the flyers in the format for electronic publishing, and some of the computers installed at the flyer distribution company have electronic Some flyers in the format for publication are provided with a means for transmitting to the computer installed at the flyer distribution base.The computers installed at the flyer distribution base are transmitted from the computer installed at the flyer distribution company. Some of the computers installed at the flyer distribution base have means for outputting a flyer in an electronic publishing format. Flyer distribution system to do. 2. A leaflet distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the leaflet distribution system includes any one of the computers, and the flyer distribution system according to claim 1. Distribution computer. 3. One or more computers installed at one or more printing companies, one or more computers installed at a flyer distribution company, and one or more computers installed at one or more flyer distribution bases. One or more computers, wherein the computers are run on a system connected to a network, the method comprising: creating a flyer in an electronic publishing format by a computer located at a printing company. Sending the flyer in the format for electronic publishing to the computer installed at the flyer distribution company by the computer installed at the flyer distribution company by the computer installed at the printing company; You will receive a leaflet in electronic publishing format sent from your computer. The process of storing the flyer in the format for electronic publishing by the computer installed in the flyer distribution company, and the process of storing the flyer in the electronic publication format by the computer installed in the flyer distribution company to the flyer distribution base Transmitting the flyer in the format for electronic publishing transmitted from the computer installed at the flyer distribution company by the computer installed at the flyer distribution base, and transmitting the flyer to the installed computer; Outputting a flyer in a format for electronic publishing by a computer installed at the base. 4. A method executed by any one of the computers provided in the system for executing the flyer distribution method according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the steps according to claim 3 is performed. A flyer distribution method comprising: 5. One or more computers installed in one or more leaflet requesters, one or more computers installed in a printing company, and one or more flyer distribution bases. And a computer connected to the network, wherein the computer of the flyer requester has means for transmitting the material data of the flyer to the computer of the printing company. Some printing company computers have means to receive leaflet material data sent from the flyer requester's computer, and some printing company computers use flyer material data for electronic publishing. Some printers have a means of creating a format flyer. Some printers have means to store flyers of mats. Some printing company computers have means to transmit flyers in electronic publishing format to computers installed at flyer distribution bases. Some of the computers installed in the office have a means for receiving the flyer in the format for electronic publishing transmitted from the computer installed in the printing company.The computer installed in the flyer distribution base includes: A flyer distribution system, comprising: means for outputting a flyer in a format for electronic publishing. 6. A leaflet distribution system according to claim 5, wherein the leaflet distribution system comprises any one of a plurality of computers, wherein the leaflet distribution system comprises any one or more of the means according to claim 5. Distribution computer. 7. One or more computers installed in one or more flyer requesters, one or more computers installed in a printing company, and one or more flyer distribution bases. One or more computers, the computers being connected to a network, wherein the computer of the flyer requester sends the flyer material data to the computer of the printing company. Steps: Receiving the flyer material data transmitted from the flyer requester's computer by the computer of the printing company, and creating a flyer in an electronic publishing format from the material data of the flyer by the computer of the printing company The process and the computer of the printing company can produce flyers in electronic publishing format. The process of storing, sending the flyer in the format for electronic publishing by the computer of the printing company to the computer installed at the flyer distribution base, and installing the flyer in the printing company by the computer installed at the flyer distribution base Receiving a flyer in the format for electronic publishing transmitted from a computer that has been sent, and outputting a flyer in the format for electronic publishing by a computer installed at the flyer distribution base. Flyer distribution method. 8. A method executed by any one of the computers provided in the system for executing the flyer distribution method according to claim 7, wherein the method is executed by any one or more of the steps according to claim 7. A flyer distribution method comprising: