Server, distribution system, distribution method and terminal

• US 20020032728A1
• Filed: 09/12/2001
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sako, Yoichiro, Tange, Akira, Utsumi, Yoshimasa, Furukawa, Shunsuke, Inokuchi, Tatsuya, Sakurai, Kazuko, Toriyama, Mitsuru, Kudo, Junichi, Nakagawa, Tomihiro, Kijima, Kaoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,483,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

The present invention provides a content-on-demand system capable of managing users'"'"' system-utilization frequencies such as download counts and connection times as well as changing the quality of a content transmitted from a server to a user in dependence on the system-utilization frequency of the user. Thus, a high-quality content or a highly functional content is provided to a user with a high system-utilization frequency. By differentiating contents provided to users in accordance with the system-utilization frequencies of the users, network businesses can be activated.

Claims

1. A server comprising:

main-data-storing means for storing main data;

sub-data-storing means for storing sub-data relevant to said main data stored in said main-data-storing means;

user-information-storing means for storing information intrinsic to users;

receiving means for receiving information identifying a user;

comparison means for comparing user-identifying information received by said receiving means with user-intrinsic information stored in said user-information-storing means;

determination means for determining utilization status of a user in dependence on a comparison result produced by said comparison means; and

control means for executing control to transmit either only main data stored in said main-data-storing means or main data stored in said main-data-storing means as well as sub-data stored in said sub-data-storing means in dependence on a determination result produced by said determination means.

2. A server according to claim 1 wherein main data stored in said main-data-storing means is audio data.

3. A server according to claim 1 wherein sub-data stored in said sub-data-storing means is at least one of a jacket image, a libretto, a liner note and a URL address.

4. A server according to claim 2 wherein sub-data stored in said sub-data-storing means is additional information for increasing the audio quality of said audio data stored as said main data.

5. A server according to claim 1 wherein main data stored in said main-data-storing means is picture data.

6. A server according to claim 5 wherein sub-data stored in said sub-data-storing means is additional information for increasing the picture quality of said picture data stored as said main data.

7. A server according to claim 1 wherein main data stored in said main-data-storing means is game program data.

8. A server according to claim 7 wherein sub-data stored in said sub-data-storing means is additional information for diversifying the story of said game program stored as said main data.

9. A server according to claim 1 wherein user-intrinsic information stored in said user-information-storing means is at least one of a connection count, a download count, a connection time and a download time.

10. A distribution system comprising an information center and a plurality of terminals each connected to said information center by a predetermined communication line, said information center comprising:

main-data-storing means for storing main data;

sub-data-storing means for storing sub-data relevant to said main data stored in said main-data-storing means;

user-information-storing means for storing information intrinsic to users;

receiving means for receiving information identifying a user;

comparison means for comparing user-identifying information received by said receiving means with user-intrinsic information stored in said user-information-storing means;

determination means for determining utilization status of a user in dependence on a comparison result produced by said comparison means; and

control means for executing control to transmit either only main data stored in said main-data-storing means or main data stored in said main-data-storing means as well as sub-data stored in said sub-data-storing means in dependence on a determination result produced by said determination means.

11. A distribution system according to claim 10 wherein main data stored in said main-data-storing means is audio data.

12. A distribution system according to claim 10 wherein sub-data stored in said sub-data-storing means is at least one of a jacket image, a libretto, a liner note and a URL address.

13. A distribution system according to claim 11 wherein sub-data stored in said sub-data-storing means is additional information for increasing the audio quality of said audio data stored as said main data.

14. A distribution system according to claim 10 wherein main data stored in said main-data-storing means is picture data.

15. A distribution system according to claim 14 wherein sub-data stored in said sub-data-storing means is additional information for increasing the picture quality of said picture data stored as said main data.

16. A distribution system according to claim 10 wherein main data stored in said main-data-storing means is game program data.

17. A distribution system according to claim 16 wherein sub-data stored in said sub-data-storing means is additional information for diversifying the story of said game program stored as said main data.

18. A distribution system according to claim 10 wherein user-intrinsic information stored in said user-information-storing means is at least one of a connection count, a download count, a connection time and a download time.

19. A distribution method for distributing contents from an information center to a plurality of terminals each connected to said information center by a predetermined communication line, said distribution method comprising the steps of:

receiving a user identification and a content order from any of said terminals;

referencing customer data stored in a memory employed in said information center in accordance with a user identification received by said receiving step;

determining utilization status based on customer data referenced by said data-referencing step; and

forming a judgment as to whether or not to add additional data to a content to be transmitted to one of said terminals in response to a content order received from said terminal in accordance with utilization status determined by said utilization-status-determining step.

20. A terminal capable of communicating with an information center through a communication line connecting said terminal to said information center and capable of recording and playing back data onto and from a recording medium which has a plurality of data recording areas, said terminal comprising:

transmission means for transmitting a user identification and a content order specifying a content to said information center;

reception means for receiving a content selected by said information center in accordance with said user identification and said content order and additional data determined by said information center to be added to said content from said information center; and

recording means for recording a content and additional data, which are received by said reception means, in said respective different data recording areas of said recording medium.