Information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing system and recording medium

• US 20010037210A1
• Filed: 03/20/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hirayama, Tomoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,260,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates

Abstract

A member-store functional unit transfers the name of a member store and the title of a campaign to an ID-assigning functional unit which assigns IDs to the title of the campaign and the name of the member store. The ID-assigning functional unit then transmits the IDs to an encoding functional unit. A broadcasting functional unit broadcasts the IDs, encoded by the encoding functional unit, by multiplexing the IDs in an audio signal. A reception functional unit receives the IDs whereas a decoding functional unit extracts and decodes the IDs. The decoding functional unit then outputs the IDs to a customer-number-assigning functional unit with a receiver ID. The customer-number-assigning functional unit forms a judgment on validity of the member-store ID, the campaign ID and the receiver ID, and assigns a customer number to the receiver ID if the member-store ID, the campaign ID and the receiver ID are found valid. An anonymous-customer management functional unit sends the customer number to a member-store functional unit so as to make a request for a transmission of a service identified by the campaign ID to the reception functional unit by way of an anonymous-service management functional unit.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a first information acquisition means for acquiring, from a first information processing apparatus, content identification information identifying a content presented by the first information processing apparatus, said first information processing apparatus identification information identifying said first information processing apparatus and from a second information processing apparatus, second information processing apparatus identification information identifying a second information processing apparatus, respectively;

a validity judgment means for forming a judgment on validity of said content identification information, said first information processing apparatus identification information and said second information processing apparatus identification information, which are acquired by said first information acquisition means;

an information assignment means for assigning customer identification information identifying a customer to said second information processing apparatus identification information; and

an information outputting means for outputting said customer identification information assigned by said information assignment means as information for receiving a presented content identified by said content identification information.

2. An information processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein, if said first information processing apparatus identification information and said content identification information are disseminated by broadcasting (transmitted), said first information acquisition means further acquires broadcasting (transmission) identification information assigned to said broadcasting (transmission);

and

said validity judgment means further forms a judgment on validity of said broadcasting (transmission) identification information in addition to validity of said content identification information, said first information processing apparatus identification information and said second information processing apparatus identification information.

3. An information processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein said first information acquisition means further acquires additional information;

and

said validity judgment means further forms a judgment on validity of said additional information.

4. An information processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein said information processing apparatus further includes a content requesting means for requesting said first information processing apparatus to provide a content identified by said content identification information on behalf of said second information processing apparatus.

5. An information processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein said first information acquisition means further acquires user information, which is information on a user of said second information processing apparatus.

6. An information processing method comprising:

a first information acquisition step of acquiring content identification information identifying a content presented by a first information processing apparatus, first information processing apparatus identification information identifying said first information processing apparatus and second information processing apparatus identification information identifying a second information processing apparatus from said second information processing apparatus;

a validity judgment step of forming a judgment on validity of said content identification information, said first information processing apparatus identification information and said second information processing apparatus identification information, which are acquired at said first information acquisition step;

an information assignment step of assigning customer identification information identifying a customer to said second information processing apparatus identification information on the basis of said judgment formed by the processing at said validity judgment step; and

an information outputting step of outputting said customer identification information assigned at said information assignment step as information for receiving a presented content identified by said content identification information.

7. A recording medium for recording a program executable by a computer, said program comprising:

a first information acquisition step of acquiring content identification information identifying a content presented by a first processing information, first information processing apparatus identification information identifying said first information processing apparatus and second information processing apparatus identification information identifying a second information processing apparatus from said second information processing apparatus;

a validity judgment step of forming a judgment on validity of said content identification information, said first information processing apparatus identification information and said second information processing apparatus identification information, which are acquired at said first information acquisition step;

an information assignment step of assigning customer identification information identifying a customer to said second information processing apparatus identification information on the basis of said judgment formed by the processing at said validity judgment step; and

an information outputting step of outputting said customer identification information assigned at said information assignment step as information for receiving a presented content identified by said content identification information.

8. An information processing system comprising a first information processing apparatus for presenting a content, a second information processing apparatus connected to said first information processing apparatus by a network, a third information processing apparatus for receiving information prescribed by said second information processing apparatus and a fourth information processing apparatus for carrying out processing corresponding to a request made by said third information processing apparatus, said information processing system characterized in that:

said second information processing apparatus comprising;

a first information acquisition means for acquiring information on a content presented by said first information processing apparatus and information on said first information processing apparatus from said first information processing apparatus;

an information generation means for generating content identification information identifying a content presented by said first information processing apparatus and first information processing apparatus identification information identifying said first information processing apparatus on the basis of said information on a content and said information on said first information processing apparatus, which are acquired from said first information acquisition means;

a first information storage means for storing said content identification information and said first information processing apparatus identification information, which are generated by said information generation means, as associated information;

a first information outputting means for directly or indirectly outputting said content identification information and said first information processing apparatus identification information, which are stored in said first information storage means, to said third information processing apparatus; and

an information transmission means for transmitting said associated information stored in said first information storage means to said fourth information processing apparatus in response to a request made by said fourth information processing apparatus through said network;

said third information processing apparatus comprising;

information extraction means for extracting said content identification information and said first information processing apparatus information from a received signal;

a second information storage means for storing second information processing apparatus identification information identifying said third information processing apparatus itself; and

a content requesting means for transmitting said content identification information and said first information processing apparatus identification information which are extracted by said information extraction means, along with said second information processing apparatus identification information which is stored in said second information storage means, to said fourth information processing apparatus in order to request said first information processing apparatus that said content identified by said content identification information be presented; and

said fourth information processing apparatus comprising;

a second information acquisition means for acquiring said content identification information, said first information processing apparatus identification information and said second information processing apparatus identification information from said third information processing apparatus;

a validity judgment means for forming a judgment on validity of said content identification information, said first information processing apparatus identification information and said second information processing apparatus identification information, which are acquired by said second information acquisition means;

an information assignment means for assigning customer identification information identifying a customer to said second information processing apparatus identification information on the basis of said judgment formed by said validity judgment means; and

a second information outputting means for outputting said customer identification information assigned by said information assignment means as information for receiving a presented content identified by said content identification information.

9. An information processing method adopted by an information processing system comprising a first information processing apparatus for presenting a content, a second information processing apparatus connected to said first information processing apparatus by a network, a third information processing apparatus for receiving information prescribed by said second information processing apparatus and a fourth information processing apparatus for carrying out processing corresponding to a request made by said third information processing apparatus, said information processing method characterized in that:

said information processing method adopted by said second information processing apparatus comprising;

a first information acquisition controlling step of controlling acquisition of information on a content presented by said first information processing apparatus and information on said first information processing apparatus from said first information processing apparatus;

an information generation step of generating content identification information identifying a content presented by said first information processing apparatus and first information processing apparatus identification information identifying said first information processing apparatus on the basis of said information on a content and said information on said first information processing apparatus, whose acquisition is controlled at said first information acquisition controlling step;

a first information storage controlling step of controlling storage of said content identification information and said first information processing apparatus identification information, which are generated at said information generation step, as associated information;

a first information outputting controlling step of directly or indirectly controlling outputting of said content identification information and said first information processing apparatus identification information, whose storage is controlled at said first information storage controlling step, to said third information processing apparatus; and

an information transmission controlling step of controlling transmission of said associated information, whose storage is controlled at said first information storage controlling step to said fourth information processing apparatus in response to a request made by said fourth information processing apparatus through said network;

said information processing method adopted by said third information processing apparatus comprising;

information extraction controlling step of controlling extraction of said content identification information and said first information processing apparatus information from a received signal;

a second information storage controlling step of controlling storage of second information processing apparatus identification information identifying said third information processing apparatus; and

a content requesting step of transmitting said content identification information and said first information processing apparatus identification information, whose extraction is controlled at said information extraction controlling step, along with said second information processing apparatus identification information whose storage is controlled at said second information storage controlling step, to said fourth information processing apparatus in order to request said first information processing apparatus that said content identified by said content identification information be presented; and

said information processing method adopted by said fourth information processing apparatus comprising;

a second information acquisition controlling step of controlling acquisition of said content identification information, said first information processing apparatus identification information and said second information processing apparatus identification information from said third information processing apparatus;

a validity judgment step of forming a judgment on validity of said content identification information, said first information processing apparatus identification information and said second information processing apparatus identification information, whose acquisition is controlled at said second information acquisition controlling step;

an information assignment step of assigning customer identification information identifying a customer to said second information processing apparatus identification information on the basis of said judgment formed by the processing at said validity judgment step; and

a information outputting controlling step of controlling outputting of said customer identification information assigned at said information assignment step as information for receiving a presented content identified by said content identification information.

10. A recording medium for recording an information processing program executable by a computer in an information processing system comprising a first information processing apparatus for presenting a content, a second information processing apparatus connected to said first information processing apparatus by a network, a third information processing apparatus for receiving information prescribed by said second information processing apparatus and a fourth information processing apparatus for carrying out processing corresponding to a request made by said third information processing apparatus, said program characterized in that:

said information processing program in said second information processing apparatus comprising;

a first information acquisition controlling step of controlling acquisition of information on a content presented by said first information processing apparatus and information on said first information processing apparatus from said first information processing apparatus;

an information generation step of generating content identification information identifying a content presented by said first information processing apparatus and first information processing apparatus identification information identifying said first information processing apparatus on the basis of said information on a content and said information on said first information processing apparatus, whose acquisition is controlled at said first information acquisition controlling step;

a first information storage controlling step of controlling storage of said content identification information and said first information processing apparatus identification information, which are generated at said information generation step, as associated information;

a first information outputting controlling step of directly or indirectly controlling outputting of said content identification information and said first information processing apparatus identification information, whose storage is controlled at said first information storage controlling step, to said third information processing apparatus; and

an information transmission controlling step of controlling transmission of said associated information, whose storage is controlled at said first information storage controlling step to said fourth information processing apparatus in response to a request made by said fourth information processing apparatus through said network;

said information processing program in said third information processing apparatus comprising;

information extraction controlling step of controlling extraction of said content identification information and said first information processing apparatus information from a received signal;

a second information storage controlling step of controlling storage of second information processing apparatus identification information identifying said third information processing apparatus; and

a content requesting step of transmitting said content identification information and said first information processing apparatus identification information, whose extraction is controlled at said information extraction controlling step, along with said second information processing apparatus identification information whose storage is controlled at said second information storage controlling step, to said fourth information processing apparatus in order to request said first information processing apparatus that said content identified by said content identification information be presented; and

said information processing program in said fourth information processing apparatus comprising;

a second information acquisition controlling step of controlling acquisition of said content identification information, said first information processing apparatus identification information and said second information processing apparatus identification information from said third information processing apparatus;

a validity judgment step of forming a judgment on validity of said content identification information, said first information processing apparatus identification information and said second information processing apparatus identification information, whose acquisition is controlled at said second information acquisition controlling step;

an information assignment step of assigning customer identification information identifying a customer to said second information processing apparatus identification information on the basis of said judgment formed by the processing at said validity judgment step; and

a information outputting controlling step of controlling outputting of said customer identification information assigned at said information assignment step as information for receiving a presented content identified by said content identification information.