Electronic apparatus, time period charging system, time period charging method, and charging management system for electronic apparatus
First Claim
1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
- discrimination means for discriminating whether or not contents data are of the type wherein use thereof should be charged based on information representative of a time period within which the contents data are used;
contents data use time period measurement means for measuring a time period within which the contents data are used;
apparatus use time period measurement means for measuring a time period within which said electronic apparatus itself is used; and
charging processing means for producing, when it is discriminated by said discrimination means that use of the contents data should be charged based on the information representative of the time period within which the contents data are used, information to be used for a charging process based on at least one of results of the measurement of said contents data use time period measurement means and said apparatus use time period measurement means but producing, when it is discriminated by said discrimination means that use of the contents data should not be charged based on the information representative of the time period within which the contents data are used, information to be used for the charging process based on the result of the measurement of said apparatus use time period measurement means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides an electronic apparatus, a time period charging system, a time period charging method, and a charging management system for an electronic apparatus which eliminate various problems arising from a conventional charging method wherein an equivalent is paid to the proprietary right of contents. It is first discriminated whether or not contents data are of the type wherein use thereof should be charged based on information representative of a time period within which the contents data are used. Then, at least one of a time period within which the contents data are used and a time period within which the electronic apparatus is used is measured based on a result of the discrimination. When the contents data are of the type described, information to be used for the charging process is produced based on at least one of the information of the time period of use of the contents data and the information of the time period of use of the electronic apparatus. However, when the contents data are not of the type described, information to be used for the charging process is produced based on the information of the time period of use of the electronic apparatus.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
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discrimination means for discriminating whether or not contents data are of the type wherein use thereof should be charged based on information representative of a time period within which the contents data are used;
contents data use time period measurement means for measuring a time period within which the contents data are used;
apparatus use time period measurement means for measuring a time period within which said electronic apparatus itself is used; and
charging processing means for producing, when it is discriminated by said discrimination means that use of the contents data should be charged based on the information representative of the time period within which the contents data are used, information to be used for a charging process based on at least one of results of the measurement of said contents data use time period measurement means and said apparatus use time period measurement means but producing, when it is discriminated by said discrimination means that use of the contents data should not be charged based on the information representative of the time period within which the contents data are used, information to be used for the charging process based on the result of the measurement of said apparatus use time period measurement means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A time period charging system, comprising:
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at least one electronic apparatus including discrimination means for discriminating whether or not contents data are of the type wherein use thereof should be charged based on information representative of a time period within which the contents data are used, contents data use time period measurement means for measuring a time period within which the contents data are used, apparatus use time period measurement means for measuring an operation time period of said electronic apparatus itself as a time period within which said electronic apparatus itself is used, charging processing means for producing, when it is discriminated by said discrimination means that use of the contents data should be charged based on the information representative of the time period within which the contents data are used, information to be used for a charging process based on at least one of results of the measurement of said contents data use time period measurement means and said apparatus use time period measurement means but producing, when it is discriminated by said discrimination means that use of the contents data should not be charged based on the information representative of the time period within which the contents data are used, information to be used for the charging process based on the result of the measurement of said apparatus use time period measurement means, and means for signaling the information produced by said charging processing means; and
a management apparatus including information management means for managing identification information for identifying said electronic apparatus, user identification information for identifying a user who uses said electronic apparatus and information regarding a settlement method by the user of said electronic apparatus, and charge settlement means for performing a settlement process for the charge based on at least one of the identification information of said electronic apparatus and the user identification information signaled from said electronic apparatus and the information to be used for the charging process. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of producing information to be used for a charging process, comprising the steps of:
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discriminating whether or not contents data are of the type wherein use thereof should be charged based on information representative of a time period within which the contents data are used;
measuring at least one of a time period within which the contents data are used and a time period within which said electronic apparatus is used based on a result of the discrimination; and
producing, when it is discriminated that use of the contents data should be charged based on the information representative of the time period within which the contents data are used, information to be used for the charging process based on at least one of the information representative of the time period within which the contents data are used and the information representative of the time period within which said electronic apparatus is used, but producing, when it is discriminated that use of the contents data should not be charged based on the information representative of the time period within which the contents data are used, information to be used for the charging process based on the information representative of the time period within which said electronic apparatus is used.
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33. A charging management apparatus for an electronic apparatus, comprising:
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information management means for managing identification information of an electronic apparatus, user identification information, and information regarding a settlement method by a user of said electronic apparatus; and
charge settlement means for performing a charge settlement process based on at least one of the identification information of said electronic apparatus and the user identification information signaled from said electronic apparatus and at least one of information representative of a time period within which contents data are used and information representative of a time period within which said electronic apparatus is used. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
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discrimination means for discriminating whether or not contents data are of the type wherein use thereof should be charged based on information representative of a time period within which the contents data are used;
operation inputting means for inputting a plurality of instructions including an instruction to use the contents data;
function execution means for executing one of the functions designated by the instruction inputted by said operation inputting means;
contents data use time period measurement means for measuring a time period within which the contents data are used based on information representative of a situation of use of the function executed by said function execution means; and
charging processing means for producing, when it is discriminated by said discrimination means that use of the contents data should be charged based on the information representative of the time period within which the contents data are used, information to be used for a charging process based on a result of the measurement of said contents data use time period measurement means.
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38. A method of producing information of an object of charging based on a time period of use, comprising the steps of:
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measuring a time period of use of an electronic apparatus, which has a plurality of functions including at least a function of reproducing contents data, for each of the functions;
calculating time period information of an object of charging of the contents data based on the information regarding the measured time periods of use of the individual functions; and
performing settlement of charging in accordance with the calculated time period information.
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Specification