Content delivery system
First Claim
1. A content delivery system comprising:
- a content server connected to a network;
a gatekeeping apparatus connected to said network; and
a user terminal for transmitting a first message to said gatekeeping apparatus and a second message to said content server for requesting a content therefrom, wherein said gatekeeping apparatus is responsive to said first message for making a decision as to whether or not a content can be retrieved from said content server and performing control on the transmission of said second message according to said decision.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a content delivery system, a gatekeeping apparatus is connected to a network. Prior to the transmission of a request message to a content server, a user terminal transmits an enquiry message to the gatekeeping apparatus. In response, the gatekeeping apparatus makes a decision as to whether or not a content can be retrieved from the content server and performs control on the transmission of the request message according to the decision. If the decision indicates that a content can be retrieved, the user terminal transmits the request message to the content server. In a preferred embodiment, the gatekeeping apparatus makes comparison between user'"'"'s preference data and server'"'"'s policy data and determines whether the requested content can be retrieved from the server. A cache memory may be provided in the user terminal or gatekeeping apparatus to store past decisions regarding requested contents.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A content delivery system comprising:
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a content server connected to a network;
a gatekeeping apparatus connected to said network; and
a user terminal for transmitting a first message to said gatekeeping apparatus and a second message to said content server for requesting a content therefrom, wherein said gatekeeping apparatus is responsive to said first message for making a decision as to whether or not a content can be retrieved from said content server and performing control on the transmission of said second message according to said decision. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of delivering contents via a communications network from a content server to a user terminal, comprising the steps of:
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a) transmitting a first message from the user terminal to a gatekeeping apparatus;
b) receiving the first message at said gatekeeping apparatus and making a decision as to whether or not a content is retrievable from said content server;
c) transmitting a notification message from the gatekeeping apparatus to said user terminal for indicating said decision; and
d) receiving the notification message at said user terminal and transmitting a second message to said content server only if said decision indicates that said content is retrievable. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A gatekeeping apparatus for a content delivery system in which a user terminal and a content server are connected to each other via a communications network, comprising:
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a line interface connected to said network; and
control circuitry for receiving a first message via said line interface from said user terminal containing a request for a content from said content server, making a decision as to whether or not said content can be retrieved from said content server and performing control on the transmission of a second message from said user terminal to said content server according to said decision. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A gatekeeping method for a content delivery system in which a user terminal and a content server are connected to each other via a communications network, comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving a first message from said user terminal containing a request for a content from said content server;
b) making a decision as to whether or not said content can be retrieved from said content server; and
c) performing control on the transmission of a second message from said user terminal to said content server according to said decision. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A user terminal for a content delivery system, wherein the system includes a content server and a gatekeeping apparatus connected to each other via a communications network, and wherein said gatekeeping apparatus makes a decision as to whether or not a content can be retrieved from said content server by comparing between policy data of said content server and preference data of said user terminal, comprising:
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a line interface connected to said network;
a cache memory; and
control circuitry for (a) making a search through said cache memory for detecting an indication of decision using an indicator of said content as a key prior to the transmission of said first message to the gatekeeping apparatus, (b) if said search fails, transmitting a first message to said gatekeeping apparatus via said line interface and mapping an indication of said decision of said gatekeeping apparatus to the indicator of said content in said cache memory, (c) if said search succeeds, acquiring parameter data required by said content server to generate said content if the decision indication in said cache memory indicates that said content can be retrieved and transmitting a second message containing the acquired parameter data to said content server for requesting said content.
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38. A method of operating a user terminal of a content delivery system, wherein the system includes a content server and a gatekeeping apparatus connected to each other via a communications network, and wherein said gatekeeping apparatus makes a decision as to whether or not a content can be retrieved from said content server by comparing between policy data of said content server and preference data of said user terminal, comprising the steps of:
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a) making a search through a cache memory for detecting an indication of a decision using an indicator of said content as a key prior to the transmission of said first message to the gatekeeping apparatus;
b) if said search fails, transmitting a first message to said gatekeeping apparatus and mapping an indication of said decision of said gatekeeping apparatus to the indicator of said content in said cache memory;
c) if said search succeeds, acquiring parameter data required by said content server to generate the content if the decision indication in said cache memory indicates that said content can be retrieved; and
d) transmitting a second message containing the acquired parameter data to said content server for requesting said content.
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Specification