Title: Method and system for presentation of content from one cellular phone to another through a computer network
Abstract: A cellular phone issues a request for content from a server. The cellular requests and authorizes the content for use by another cellular phone. When the content is received by the second cellular phone, the first cellular phone is billed.
Patent Number: 6,892,064 Issued on 05/10/2005 to Qi, et al.
| Inventors:
|
Qi; Naizhen (Yokohama, JP);
Wang; Xiaozhou (Yamato, JP)
|
| Assignee:
|
International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
947738 |
| Filed:
|
September 6, 2001 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Sep 07, 2000[JP] | 2000-272213 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
455/408; 455/414.1 |
| Intern'l Class: |
G06F 015/16 |
| Field of Search: |
455/406,407,408,414.1
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 5666107 | Sep., 1997 | Lockhart et al.
| |
| 6058170 | May., 2000 | Jagadish et al.
| |
| 6484205 | Nov., 2002 | Byford.
| |
| 6501837 | Dec., 2002 | Adler et al.
| |
| 2001/0036822 | Nov., 2001 | Mead et al.
| |
| 2003/0023550 | Jan., 2003 | Lee.
| |
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 8009053 | Jan., 1996 | JP.
| |
| 164123 | Jun., 1998 | JP.
| |
| 1120398 | Apr., 1999 | JP.
| |
| 059353 | Feb., 2000 | JP.
| |
Primary Examiner: Tsang; Fan
Assistant Examiner: Chow; Ming
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Yee; Duke W., Clay; A. Bruce, Bailey; Wayne P.
Claims
1. In a network, a first cellular phone that requests presentation of a content
via the network, a second cellular phone to be presented with said content, a provider
server that holds said content, a carrier server comprising a first carrier server
related to said first cellular phone, and a second carrier server related to said
second cellular phone connected to one another through the network, wherein said
first carrier server comprises:
a unit for receiving a content presentation request from said first cellular
phone, wherein said content presentation request requests presentation of content
held by said provider server;
a database for storing identification information of said first cellular phone
and information related to said second cellular phone;
a unit for sending said content requested from said first cellular phone and
said information related to said second cellular phone to said provider server;
and
a unit for receiving charging information related to presentation of said content
sent by said second carrier server, which receives said requested content from
said provider server, wherein said content includes service use permitting information
and said charging information is received by said carrier server for charging the
first cellular phone after a service to which said charging information pertains
to has been accessed by the second cellular phone.
2. In a network, a first cellular phone that requests presentation of a content
via the network, a second cellular phone to be presented with said content, a provider
server that holds said content, a carrier server comprising a first carrier server
related to said first cellular phone, and a second carrier server related to said
second cellular phone connected to one another through the network, wherein said
first carrier server comprises:
a unit for receiving a content presentation request from said first cellular
phone, wherein said content presentation request requests presentation of content
held by said provider server;
a database for storing identification information of said first cellular phone
and information related to said second cellular phone;
a unit for sending said content requested from said first cellular phone and
said information related to said second cellular phone to said provider server;
and
a unit for receiving charging information related to presentation of said content
sent by said second carrier server, which receives said requested content from
said provider server, wherein said second carrier server includes a unit for communicating
arrival of said requested content to said second cellular phone, wherein said first
and said second carrier server belong to a same cellular phone carrier, and wherein
said content includes service use permitting information and said charging information
is received by said second cellular phone by use of identification information
of said first cellular phone after said service is used.
3. A content presentation method, comprising the steps of:
enabling a carrier server to receive a content presentation request from a first
cellular phone via a network;
deciding requested content information, identification information of said first
cellular phone, and information related to said second cellular phone from said
received content presentation request;
sending content information requested from said carrier server, identification
information of said first cellular phone, and information related to said second
cellular phone to a provider server;
sending said requested content to said second cellular phone via predetermined
network;
enabling said provider server to send charging information to said first cellular
phone via said carrier server;
changing a time for sending said charging information according to said content;
identifying said predetermined network used by said second cellular phone from
information related to said second cellular phone; and
sending said charging information after said second cellular phone uses said
service when said content is service use permitting information.
4. A provider server process for presenting a content via a network, comprising
the steps of:
receiving requested content information identification, information of a first
cellular phone, and information related to a second cellular phone to be presented
with said content included respectively in a content presentation request sent
from said first cellular phone to a carrier server via a network;
sending said requested content to a predetermined network to which said second
cellular phone belongs with use of said information related to said second cellular
phone; and
sending charging information related to said requested content at a time changed
according to said requested content to said carrier server, wherein said content
includes service use permitting information and said step of sending said charging
information is executed after said second cellular phone makes an access to said
service.
5. A computer readable recording medium that stores a carrier server program
for executing content presentation method for providing a content via a network,
comprising the steps of:
receiving a content presentation request form a first cellular phone via a network;
deciding content information, identification information of said first cellular
phone, and information related to a second cellular phone to be presented with
a content included respectively in said received content presentation request;
sending said content information, identification information of said first cellular
phone, and information related to said second cellular phone to a provider server;
receiving charging information issued to said firs cellular phone; and
including charging information of said presented content in a stored charging
information of said first cellular phone, wherein said content includes service
use permitting information and said step of including said charging information
executed after said second cellular phone makes an access to said service.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to computer software, and in particular
to a content presentation system that provides digital content between cellular phones.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A well-known system provides content such as a greeting card configured by digital
information via a network such as the Internet. In such a conventional system,
a provider server included in the system sends mail as a notice that includes a
URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for a greeting card to an object user terminal.
After receiving this notice mail, the user accesses the specified URL and enters
necessary identifiers (such as a certification code included in the notice mail)
and browses content as a card addressed to him/her.
In the case of the conventional system described above, the user who receives
the gift is required to have a terminal device such as a personal computer that
can access a specific network, such as the Internet. Additionally, the user who
has received the notice mail is required to access a linked URL again to receive
the content. If the addressee is using a personal computer, the user might not
become aware of the notice mail for some time. The user will thus browse the greeting
card much later than the time expected by the presenter. This has been a problem
from such a conventional system.
There is also another well-known system that presents a user with a privilege
for receiving a service via a network. When using a personal computer, however,
personal identification security might not be sufficient, whereby illegal accesses
cannot be properly prevented. While each user may be enabled with a password and
a user ID, the system can become too complicated, requiring an additional software
program to cope with the complicated system.
In order to present services such as content to enable another user to access
a specific site, etc., each presenter user is requested to register his/her personal
information which may include name, credit card number, age, etc. with the content
provider beforehand. The user is further requested to enter other information to
allow another user to access the content and/or service presented by the presenter
user. Therefore, such a system will not be so user friendly.
There are also pagers, having a well-known push-button type portable terminal
that employs radio communications. However, the pager is only used to receive information;
it cannot supply services interactively via a network, for example, by accessing
a linked URL.
However, the spread of cellular phones that can access the Internet has
grown considerably. Therefore, it is now much easier to access a network such as
the Internet. Many cellular phones are enabled to receive and disply a variety
of content consisting of characters, music, voices, etc. on their liquid crystal
displays. Corporations that supply networks for cellular phones (hereinafter, to
be referred to as carriers) can obtain personal information about the users as
described above when the cellular phones are registered. Additionally, these cellular
phones are provided with a function for certifying user identification for enabling
communications. This is why a user's identification will be easier for a cellular
phone than terminals such as personal computers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide faster interactive services
with a higher level of security and improved usability by relating each content/service
presenter to the content/service receiver having a unique personal certification
function such as found on a cellular phone. It is another object of the present
invention to provide a server, a content presentation method, and a recording medium
that stores a computer readable program for executing the content presentation
method employed to realize a content presentation system.
The present invention provides a first cellular phone that requests presentation
of content via a network, a second cellular phone to be presented with the content,
a provider server that holds the content, a carrier server consisting of a first
carrier server related to the first cellular phone, and a second carrier server
related to the second cellular phone. The first carrier server includes means for
receiving a content presentation request from the first cellular phone; a database
for storing identification information of the first cellular phone and information
related to the second cellular phone; means for sending content information received
from the first cellular phone, identification information of the second cellular
phone, and information related to the second cellular phone to the provider server;
and means for receiving payment information related to the content sent by the
second carrier server that receives the requested content from the provider server.
The carrier server of the present invention makes it is possible to provide a content
presentation system that can charge a user according to the content with higher
usability due to the personal identification function of a cellular phone.
The first carrier server of the present invention changes its time for receiving
the charging information according to the content. The second carrier server of
the present invention includes means for communicating arrival of requested content
to the second cellular phone. Both the first and second carrier servers of the
present invention are included in the same cellular phone carrier. Each content
of the present invention includes service use permitting information and the charging
information is received by each user with use of the identification information
of the first cellular phone after the service is used by the second cellular phone.
A provider server is connected to a first cellular phone to request presentation
of content via a plurality of networks; a second cellular phone to be presented
with the content; slave provider server for holding the content; a first carrier
server related to the first cellular phone; and a second carrier server related
to the second cellular phone. The provider server includes means for receiving
content information from the first cellular phone, identification information of
the first cellular phone, stored in a database of the first carrier server, and
information related to the second cellular phone from the first carrier server
respectively and means for sending the requested content to the second carrier
server, so that the second carrier server sends the charging information related
to the content to the first carrier server. The provider server of the present
invention further includes means for issuing said charging information using said
identification information of said first cellular phone. The provider server of
the present invention further includes means for identifying the network used by
the second cellular phone.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a content presentation method
including the steps of: enabling a carrier server to receive a content presentation
request from a first cellular phone via a network; deciding requested content information,
identification information of the first cellular phone, and information related
to a second cellular phone from the received content presentation request; sending
requested content information received from the carrier server, identification
information of the first cellular phone, information related to the second cellular
phone to the provider server, sending the requested content to the second cellular
phone via a predetermined network; and sending charging information issued by the
provider server to the first cellular phone via the carrier server.
The content representation method of the present invention described above further
includes the steps of: changing a time for sending the charging information according
to the requested content; and identifying the predetermined network used by the
second cellular phone from the information related to the second cellular information,
so that the charging information is sent to the second cellular phone after the
second cellular phone uses the service when the content is service use permitting information.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a carrier server process
for providing a content via a network as content presentation. The carrier server
process includes the steps of: of receiving a content presentation request from
a first cellular phone via a network; deciding content information, identification
information of the first cellular phone, and information of a second cellular phone
to be presented with the content included respectively in the received content
presentation request; sending the content information, identification information
of the content presentation request source means, and information related to the
second cellular phone to a provider server; receiving the charging information
issued to the first cellular phone; including the charging information for the
content presentation in the stored charging information of the first cellular phone;
and changing a time for receiving the charging information according to the requested
content. In the case of the present invention, the content includes service use
permitting information and the step of including the charging information is executed
after the second cellular phone accesses the service.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a provider server process
for providing a content via a network as content presentation. The provider server
process comprises the steps of receiving a requested content information, identification
information of the first cellular phone, and information related to a second cellular
phone to be presented with the content, included respectively in a content presentation
request sent from a first cellular phone to a carrier server via a network; sending
said requested content to a predetermined network to which the second cellular
phone belongs with use of information of the second cellular phone; and sending
charging information related to the requested content to the carrier server at
a time to be changed according to the requested content. In the case of the present
invention, the content includes service use permitting information and the step
of sending the charging information is executed after the second cellular phone
uses the service.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a computer readable recording
medium that stores a computer program for executing the content presentation method
for providing contents via a network. The method executed by the computer program
comprises the steps of: enabling a carrier server to receive a content presentation
request from a first cellular phone via a network; deciding the requested content
information, identification information of the first cellular phone, and information
related to a second cellular phone from the received content representation request;
enabling the carrier server to send the requested content information, identification
information of the first cellular phone, and information related to the second
cellular phone to the provider server; sending the requested content to the second
cellular phone via a predetermined network; and enabling the provider server to
send the charging information related to the first cellular phone to the first
cellular phone via the carrier server.
In the case of the present invention, the method described above further includes
the steps of: changing a time for sending the charging information according to
the requested content; and identifying the predetermined network used by the second
cellular phone, so that the charging information is sent to the second cellular
phone after the service is used when the content is service use permitting information.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a computer readable recording
medium that stores a carrier server program for executing the content presentation
method described above. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a content
presentation request from a first cellular phone via a network; deciding content
information, identification information of the first cellular phone, and information
related to a second cellular phone to be presented with the content included respectively
in the received content presentation request; sending the content information,
the identification information of the content presentation request source means,
and the information related to the second cellular phone to a provider server;
receiving charging information related to the first cellular phone; including the
charging information related to the content presentation in the stored charging
information related to the first cellular phone; and changing a time for receiving
the charging information according to the requested content. In the case of the
present invention, the content includes service use permitting information and
the step of including the charging information is executed after the second cellular
phone accesses the service.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a recording medium that
stores a provider server program for executing the content presentation method
that provides a content via a network as described above. The method comprises
the steps of: receiving requested content information, identification information
of the first cellular phone, and information related to a second cellular phone
to be presented with the content included respectively in a content presentation
request sent from a first cellular phone to a carrier server via a network; sending
the requested content to a predetermined network to which the second cellular phone
belongs with use of information related to the second cellular phone; and sending
charging information related to the requested content to the carrier server at
a time changed according to the requested content. In the case of the present invention,
the content includes service use permitting information and the step of sending
the charging information is executed after the second cellular phone uses the service.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a content presentation system of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is another embodiment of the content presentation system of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a structure of a database included in a carrier server of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a data structure of a charging database included in the carrier server
of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a data structure of a user certification database included in the
carrier server of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a data structure of a content pool database included in the carrier
server of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a data structure of a database included in a content provider server
of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a data structure of a user management/charging database of the database
included in the content provider server of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a data structure of a content storing database of the database included
in the content provider server of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a data structure of a carrier type decision database of the database
included in the content provider server of the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a data structure of the database included in the content provider
server of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a data structure of a service management database of the database
included in the service provider server of the present invention;
FIG. 13 is a data structure of an access control database of a database included
in the service provider server of the present invention;
FIG. 14 is a schematic flowchart of a content presentation method of the present invention;
FIG. 15 is a carrier server process executed with use of the content presentation
method of the present invention;
FIG. 16 is a content provider server process executed with use of the content
presentation method of the present invention;
FIG. 17 is a time-series process executed with use of the content presentation
method of the present invention;
FIG. 18 is a flowchart for user certification and access privilege setting in
a carrier server process executed with use of the service presentation method of
the present invention;
FIG. 19 is a flowchart for user certification and access privilege setting in
a provider server process with use of the service presentation method of the present invention;
FIG. 20 is a flowchart for an access in a carrier server process executed with
use of the service presentation method of the present invention;
FIG. 21 is a flowchart for an access in a provider server process executed with
use of the service presentation method of the present invention;
FIG. 22 is a time-series service presentation process executed with use of the
content presentation method of the present invention;
FIG. 23 is an embodiment of the content presentation method of the present invention; and
FIG. 24 is another embodiment of the content presentation method of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereunder, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood
that modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing
from the spirit of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a content presentation system in a first
embodiment of the present invention. The content presentation system of the present
invention shown in FIG. 1 is configured by a cellular phone
1; an antenna
3 installed by a specific carrier to receive radio communications from this
cellular phone
1 via a network
2 provided by a predetermined carrier;
a public telephone line
3a used to transfer a signal received by
the antenna
3; and such a network
5 such as the Internet connected
to this network
2 via a carrier server
4 installed at the carrier.
The network
5 may be the Internet, as well as an optical communication
network and a LAN/WAN that uses a proper communication protocol so as to send/receive
data and information remotely. One of the protocols employable for such communications
is, for example, TCP/IP.
The cellular phone
1 may be any type that can access a network
5
such as the Internet. For example, the cellular phone
1 may be replaced
with a cellular phone that can use i-mode (a registered trademark) and/or Sky-mail
(a registered trademark) services. The carrier of the present invention may be
any one that includes such facility/means as a gateway used to access the network
5 (the Internet). The "contents" mentioned in the present invention comprise
digital information including address information of URL sites that provide software
programs and other specific services such as voice, image, music, etc., as well
as access information required to use specific services, for example, linked addresses
of specific URL sites, guidance of available information items, presenter information,
notices of available privileges for admission to concerts, medical and caring services
closely related to each cellular phone used as personal identification information
like an ID card, information about shopping services on credit card for enabling
a user B under the permission of a user A who is charged for the shopping.
In addition to the phone number, cellular phone
1 is provided with identification
information specific to a carrier. According to this identification information,
the cellular phone can be identified uniquely. Corresponding to this identification
information, the carrier holds the personal information items of the user A, such
as name, address, age, card number, bank account number, etc. In the case of the
content presentation system of the present invention, a content presentation request
from the cellular phone
1 is received by the antenna
3 via the predetermined
network
2, then transferred to the carrier server
4 installed at
a specific carrier via a public telephone line
3a, etc. In FIG. 1
the user of another cellular phone
6 belongs to the network
2 by
the same carrier as that of the cellular phone
1. The user of the cellular
phone
6 is presented with a privilege for accessing a specific available
content or service.
This carrier server
4 connects the cellular phone
1 to the network
5 such as the Internet. The carrier server
4 receives a content presentation
request from the cellular phone
1 and identifies the cellular phone
1
according to the identification information thereof. In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 1, there is only one carrier server
4, but the present invention enables
any number of carrier servers to be employed according to the storage capacity
and the processing ability of the system. The carrier server
4 reads content
information corresponding to the content requested, the identification information
of the cellular phone
1, and the information of the user B to be presented
with the content from the received content presentation request. The carrier server
4 includes a database DB
1 configured by a charging database for storing
charging information for users, a user certification database for storing personal
information of respective users, and a content pool database for temporarily storing
content received by the carrier server
4 until distributed to or down-loaded
by the cellular phone
6.
The network
5 is connected to content provider servers
7 to provide
content communicated to the carrier server
4 via the network
5. The
carrier server
4 sends information to the content provider servers
7
via the network
5. The content provider servers
7 each include a
database DB
2 that stores various information items of each carrier, as well
as information about the users A and B.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the carrier server
4 is connected to
only two content provider servers
7, but the present invention enables any
number of content providing servers to be connected to the network
5 according
to the type of contents to be provided. In addition to the content provider servers
7 that provide digital information respectively, the carrier server
4
is also connected via the network
5 to a service provider server
8
that provides various services in accordance with access privileges. A service
provider in the present invention means a provider of various services including
information services. The service provider gives each user predetermined access
privileges so as to provide those services.
In FIG. 1, the content provider servers
7 and the service provider server
8 are installed at different sites, but the present invention enables all
the servers to be installed at the same site. The service provider server
8
includes a database DB
3 and it is configured so as to set user information
and an access privilege for each service presentation request.
The content provider servers
7, and the service provider server
8
may each be configured by a personal computer, work station, or large-scale computer.
The personal computer or work station may employ a PENTIUM (trademark of Intel
Corporation) or compatible CPU or various RISC chips and an operating system such
as WINDOWS, WINDOWS NT trademarks of Microsoft Corporation, OS/2, AIX (trademarks
of IBM Corporation), or UNIX LINUX. It is to be understood that the above listed
CPU's and operating systems are provided as examples only and the present invention
is not limited thereby.
FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1,
the cellular phones
1 and
6 receive content and services via the
network
2 of the same carrier. However, the present invention also enables
content to be provided from different carriers so that the cellular phone
1
can use the network of carrier A, while the cellular phone
6 can use the
network of carrier B.
FIG. 3 shows a configuration of the database DB
1 included in the carrier
server
4 installed at a carrier site. The database DB
1 is configured
by a charging database
10, a user certification database
11, and
a content pool database
12. The content pool database
12 is used
to store content temporarily when the cellular phone
6 of the user B cannot
be connected or fails in connection.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the data structure of the charging database
10
shown in FIG.
3. The charging database
10 comprises data class
10a
(provider ID and name) and data class
10b (user ID, provider
ID (each provider of content presentation requested from a user having this user
ID), distribution management ID (used to manage the provided content), price corresponding
to the content, transaction ID, and charging date). Charging database
10
may include charging information for normal communications, packet communications,
etc. by the user of the cellular phone
1 so as to be classified by user
ID. When a price is charged to the user A of the cellular phone
1, the charging
information of the presented content may be combined with charging information
of other items so as to be charged to the user A as a total. The present invention
may also use another database for storing charging information for those normal
communications, packet communications, etc.
FIG. 5 shows a configuration of the user certification database
11 (FIG.
3). The user certification database
11 stores data class
11a
comprising the user ID of user A of the cellular phone
1 that and the
phone number of the cellular phone
1 that corresponds to the user ID, so
that the cellular phone
1 used by user A can be certified from the phone
number, etc. of the cellular phone
1.
FIG. 6 shows a configuration of the content pool database
12 of the database
DB
1 (FIG. 1) included in the carrier server
4. The content pool database
12 stores one data class
12a together with the identification
information of the cellular phone
6 of the user B to be presented with content.
The data class
12a comprises the phone number of each content receiver
user, distribution management ID, distribution item, and distribution date/time.
In the example shown in FIG. 6, a phone number is used as identification information,
however, the present invention may also enable a user ID for identification information.
The database
12 includes a NULL flag which can be set when the requested
content is not provided due to a disabled connection. It is thus possible to decide
whether or not the distribution has been completed. When the requested content
has already been distributed, the actual delivery date/time is recorded in the
content pool database
12. The present invention enables a simple binary
flag to denote completion of the distribution.
FIG. 7 shows a data structure of the content database DB
2 included in
the content provider server
7 (see FIG.
2). The server
7 communicates
with, for example, the carrier A or B shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 for necessary information
in accordance with the condition of a predetermined network
2 connected
to the cellular phone
1 that has issued a request for content presentation.
For example, when the content requesting source cellular phone
1 belongs
to the network of the carrier A and the content receiver cellular phone
6
belongs to the carrier A, the content provider server
7 only communicates
with the carrier A to obtain charging information, user certification information,
content item to be presented, and the required information about user B of the
content receiver cellular phone
6.
However, in the case where the content receiver cellular phone
6
belongs to the network of another carrier such as the carrier B, the content provider
server
7 receives the user certification information, the content item to
be presented, and the required information about the user B of the cellular phone
6 from the carrier A. Then the server
7 searches the requested content
and the identification information for cellular phone
6 in the database
DB
2 so as to send those searched items to the carrier B.
The content database DB
2 shown in FIG. 7 is configured by a user management/charging
database
13, a content storing database
14, and a carrier decision
database
15. The user management/charging database
13 is used to
store the charging information of the user A of the cellular phone
1 in
accordance with the identification and issue charging information of the presented
content. The content database
14 stores content to be presented, and the
contents therein are searched according to each content presentation request. The
carrier decision database
15 is used to determine the carrier of the content
receiver cellular phone
6 and sends the requested content to the carrier
A to which the cellular phone
6 belongs, and communicates with the carrier
B for any necessary information.
FIG. 8 shows a configuration of the user management/charging database
13
included in the content database DB
2. The database
13 stores a user
table as one data class
13a comprising user ID, user name, carrier
to which each user belongs, and carrier ID. For example, in the embodiment shown
in FIG. 7, a user whose user ID is "1" has a user name "user a", belongs to the
network of the carrier 1(xxxxxx), and has a carrier ID "uid=ABCDEF123456".
The user management/charging database
13 shown in FIG. 8 also has a data
distribution table as a data class
13b comprising distribution ID,
user ID, and destination information such as the phone number of each cellular
phone, information about the carrier having a distribution address, ID of the content
to be distributed, date/time of distribution to a carrier corresponding to the
distribution address, and transaction ID. For example, when the distribution ID
is "00001", the user ID of the content presentation request source cellular phone
1 is "1" and the phone number and carrier of the distribution address are
"090-aaaa-bbbb" and "1(xxxxxx). The content ID of the distributed content is "1",
the content is distributed on "2000.08.23.00.0000", and the transaction ID is "i1287969".
The user management/charging database
13 shown in FIG. 8 also has a charging
table as a data class
13c comprising a charging ID, distribution
ID, user ID of the cellular phone
1 which is to be charged, price, price
collection (YES/NO) state, and transaction ID at the distribution time. As described
above, the use of the charging table
13c makes it possible to correctly
charge the cellular phone
1 that requested the content presentation.
FIG. 9 shows a data structure of the content storing database
14 included
in the content database DB
2. The content storing database
14 has
a data class
14a table comprising content ID, price, restriction
for each content, and a linked URL address (http://x.x.x/a.html) or file address
(file://e:dir1/dir2/a/mpg) used to identify each content. The content storing database
14 configured in such a way makes it possible to identify each content requested
by the user of the cellular phone
1 and to send the identified content to
the carrier that includes the network of the cellular phone
6 of the user
B who is to be presented with the content.
FIG. 10 shows a data structure of the carrier decision database
15 included
in the content database DB
2. The carrier decision database
15 shown
in FIG. 10 has a carrier list table as a data class
15a. The table
lists operational carriers. In addition, the carrier decision database
15
has a data class
15b table for correspondence between phone numbers
and carriers. The data class
15b comprises a first digit (F_No.)
and a last digit (T_No.) of each phone number assigned to each carrier, a CID (carrier
ID), and an IP address for the carrier gateway with respect to the content presentation
cellular phone
6.
The carrier list table
15a stores the name xxxxxx of each carrier
corresponding to each carrier ID, and service available range C_location of the
carrier, for example, all over Japan or Kanto District. The use of the table
156
makes it possible for the content provider server
7 to identify, for example,
the carrier B that holds the phone number of the cellular phone
6 specified
to receive content and send the content to the GW_IP of the carrier B, thereby
cellular phone
6 receives the content.
FIG. 11 shows a configuration of the service database DB
3 included in
the service provider server
8 of the present invention. The service provider
server
8 and the content provider server
7 may be installed at different
sites or at the same site. The service provider server
8 sets a required
access privilege for a predetermined service according to a service presentation
request, for example, only for a certain period. Receiving content that includes
service use permitting information, the user of the cellular phone
6 uses
the access privilege set by the service provider server
8 to access the
object site. Thus, the user A of the service presentation request source cellular
phone
1 is charged for the presented content. Therefore, the user A of the
content presentation request source cellular phone
1 is enabled to present
user B with an access privilege for a service.
The service database DB
3 included in the service provider server
8
is configured by a user management/charging database
16, a service management
database
17, an access control database
18, and a carrier decision
database
19. The user management/charging database
16 and the carrier
decision database
19 are configured in the same fashion as the user management/charging
database
13 and the carrier decision database
15, respectively, of
the content database DB
2 of FIG.
7.
FIG. 12 shows a data structure of the service management database
17
included in the service database DB
3 of FIG.
11. The service management
database
17 includes a data class
17a comprising for example,
a service_ID (a serial number for identifying a service content), a price for the
service/content, restriction, file name or linked URL address to identify the service/content,
service/content availability period, and whatever privilege is required for receiving
the service/content. Database
17 is used to hold and manage the services
that are to be provided.
FIG. 13 shows a structure of the access control database
18 included
in the service database DB
3 of FIG.
11. The access control database
18 includes a data class
18a comprising, for example, an access
management number access ID, a receiver ID to identify the cellular phone
6
of the user to be presented with an access privilege, an access privilege available
period, a presence of access privilege, and a date/time indicating when the service
was accessed. The user B of the cellular phone
6 (access ID "2340987") has
requested an access privilege for a period between August and September 2000, but
the user B is not allowed access due to a restriction item set for the access privilege.
The user privilege has been kept as NULL, so that the user B is disabled for access.
The user B is denied access privileges for a limited period. The present invention,
however, may restrict the access privilege to limit the item to be accessed.
Furthermore, the user B of the cellular phone
6 with an access
ID of "2378965" is a gold member and presented with limitless access privileges.
The record indicates that the user B has accessed at least at "23: 45: 1208 on
Aug. 23, 2000. The present invention may also monitor user B's total access time
in order to charge user A.
The database
18 also includes a data class
18b comprising
for example a receiver ID of the cellular phone
6, a receiver number (identification
information such as a phone number), a carrier ID to identify the carrier corresponding
to the receiver number, and a carrier identification ID assigned to the user B
by the carrier. The access control database
18 thus configured enables the
user B of the cellular phone
6 to access an identified service with an access
ID=2378965 after the receiver ID=456 is identified by the carrier identification ID.
FIG. 14 shows a schematic flowchart of the process executed by the present invention.
The process starts in step
101. The user A of the cellular phone
1
then issues a content presentation request which includes information about a desired
service in step
102. The content presentation request is received by the
carrier A via the network
2 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) of the carrier A in step
103. The user A is then certified by the carrier server
4 in step
104 using the personal certification function registered in the cellular
phone
1. The carrier server
4 then issues a content presentation
request to the content provider server
7 or service provider server
8
in step
105. The content presentation request includes service use permitting information.
After receiving the content presentation request, the content provider server
7 or service provider server
8 certifies the users A and B in step
106 or
107, respectively. The requested content is sent to user B's
carrier or a notice is sent that a service access privilege has been set in step
109. At this time, the service provider server
8 has already set
the access privilege to a predetermined service for the user B according to the
service use permitting information. When the requested content is not the service
use permitting information, the content providing server
7 or service providing
server
8 sends the content to the users carrier in step
110. The
charging information is sent to the carrier that has received the content presentation
request from the user A. The carrier server
4 thus charges the user A. Then,
in step
112, the carrier notifies user B of the presented vocal content
by a call from a voice processor or an e-mail that audibly announces its arrival.
When the content presentation request is service use permitting information,
the carrier server
4 of the carrier B communicates a service access privilege
to the cellular phone
6 of the user B by call from the voice processor or
an e-mail or both in step
111. When the user B accesses the service (YES)
in step
113, the service provider server
8 sends charging information
to the carrier to which the user A belongs in step
115. User A is thus charged
for the service. Whether or not the user B makes an access is monitored in step
114 on the condition set for the presented access privilege, for example,
a period, an accessing item, etc. The carrier server
4 may be set to not
charge the user A when the access privilege is not used within the set access condition range.
The content provider server
7 and the service provider server
8
send requested content to be presented or service use permitting information to
the user B who is the receiver and the charging information to the carrier of user
A. Thus the content/service presentation of the user A is enabled. The present
invention also enables both user A and B to belong to the same carrier.
FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating execution of a process by the carrier server
4 to present content (not service use permitting information) between users
A and B. The carrier server
4 as described in FIG. 15 is the same carrier
server for the users A and B as they use the same carrier. When the users A and
B use different carriers, each carrier server
4 includes a process to be
executed by either of them.
The content presentation is started in step
201. In step
202, the
carrier server
4 receives a request for a list of contents denoting that
the user A wants to make presentation of a content, for example, from the cellular
phone
1. At this time, for example, the cellular phone
1 can use
a packet communication method to send the list of contents to the gateway of the
carrier A.
The carrier A certifies the user A with reference to the database
11 in
step
203 to establish the connection. The carrier server
4 then sends
a content list request to the content provider server
7 in step
204
and executes a predetermined certification process. The content provider server
7 then sends the content list request to the user A via the network
2
in step
205.
The carrier server
4 then receives a content presentation request from
the user A in step
206. The request has identified the user B. The carrier
server
4 then sends this request to the content provider server
7.
The content provider server
7 thus certifies the user with reference to
the user management/charging database
13. Then the carrier server
4
receives a request for verification of user A and B and the price information of
the content
1 in step
207. The carrier server
4 certifies
the user A or the user B when the user B belongs to the same carrier as user A
with reference to the user certification database
11 in step
208.
Preferably certification is done with specific user ID assigned by the carrier
to the cellular phone
1. The user A does not need to make another service
contract to obtain another user ID and another password; as the sophisticated personal
identification function of the cellular phone
1 can be used effectively.
In step
209, the carrier server
4 decides whether or not it is
possible
to charge the user A and provide the user B with content. When it is possible to
charge the user A and present the user B with content (YES), the carrier server
4 communicates with the content provider server
7 in step
210
that both are enabled.
Then, the carrier server
4 receives content from the content provider
server
7 in step
211 and transfers the content to the user B. At
this time, the carrier server
4 notifies user B of the arrival of content
by a call from a voice processing system or as an arrival sound of an e-mail. When
the carrier server
4 cannot provide content to the user B immediately, the
carrier server
4 stores the content in the content pool database
12
until the communication is enabled. Passing the content to user B, the carrier
server
4 processes a charge for user A with reference to the user management/charging
database
10 in step
212. The end of the distribution to both the
content provider server
7 and the user A is communicated in step
213.
This completes the carrier server process in step
214.
When the decision result to decision block
209 is No (it is not possible
to charge the user A nor provide the requested content to user B, or both), the
carrier server
4 communicates the impossibility to both the content provider
server
7 and the user A, thereby the carrier server process is terminated.
FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating execution of a process by the content provider
server
7 to present a user with content. The content provider server
7
starts a service in step
301. Then, the content provider server
7
receives a content list request from a predetermined contracted carrier in step
302. Illegal accesses can be prevented by using a user ID and a password,
preset respectively, when a contract is made between the carrier and the content
provider. In the present invention, however, because personal certification information
of the user A is already held in the carrier, a new contact is only done between
the carrier and the content provider. There is no need for the user A to make a
contract personally with the content provider. This is why it is possible to speed
provision of content and improve the usability of the content presentation system.
The content provider server
7 sends a list of contents to the carrier
server
4 in step
303. The carrier server
4 then transfers
this list of content to the user A. The content provider server
7 receives
a request that the user A presents the content
1 to the user B via the carrier
in step
304. In step
305, the content provider server
7 obtains
both the price and the restriction of the content
1 by searching the content
storing database
14. The content provider server
7 then sends the
list of content to the carrier. At the same time, the content provider server
7
requests the carrier server for certification of the users A and B. In step
306,
the content provider server
7 receives the result of the verification of
the users A and B from the carrier server
4. In step
307, the content
provider server
7 decides whether or not the users A and B are ready to
receive the content. When the decision is YES (they are ready), in step
308
the content provider server
7 searches for the destination carrier in the
carrier decision database
15, decides upon the carrier, and then sends the
content to user B's carrier. When the decision result in step
307 is NO
(either or both of them are not ready yet), the content provider server
7
goes to step
310 and terminates the transaction.
In step
309, the content provider server
7 receives a notice upon
completion of the content providing, and then a notice upon completion of the charging
for the user A from the carrier server
4. The content provider server
7
terminates the transaction in step
310. Alternatively, when user A and user
B belong to different carriers, a notice may be received upon completion of the
content providing after the user B receives the content, and then a charging command
may be sent to the carrier server
4 to which the user A belongs, and then
the transaction is terminated in step
310 after completion of charging from
the carrier server
4 to which the user A belongs.
FIG. 17 shows a time-series process executed by the content provider server
7 so that user A presents user B with content (other than service use permitting
in
