Method and system for distributing digital content, and server and terminal stations therefor

• US 20030105809A1
• Filed: 03/26/2002
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yoshii, Yoshihiro, Hongo, Yasuhiko, Sato, Masami, Endo, Takahiro
• Application Number:
  US10/105,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20030105809A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A content delivery method which distributes content from a server to a plurality of customers according to their desired delivery schedules. The server receives delivery schedule information from each user terminal which specifies a desired delivery time. The server then stores the received delivery schedule information into its local storage device. Comparing the present time with each desired delivery time stored in the storage device, the server determines whether any scheduled delivery time is reached. The server delivers specified content to every requesting user terminal when their desired delivery time is reached.

Claims

1. A method of delivering content from a server to a user terminal, comprising the steps of:

(a) upon receipt of delivery schedule information from the user terminal which specifies a desired delivery time, storing the received delivery schedule information into a storage device;

(b) determining whether the desired delivery time is reached, by comparing the present time with the desired delivery time specified in the delivery schedule information that is stored in the storage device; and

(c) delivering the content to the user terminal when the desired delivery time is reached.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the content is only available during a predefined availability period; and

said storing step (a) stores the received delivery schedule information in the storage device only when the desired delivery time falls within the predefined availability period.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said delivering step (c) starts delivering of the content, upon receiving a message indicating that the user terminal is ready.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the content is a video data stream; and

said delivering step (c) uses streaming techniques to deliver the video data stream.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said delivering step (c) delivers the content to the user terminal while inserting advertising content thereinto.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

setting a copyright fee for a single occurrence of content delivery; and

calculating copyright charges according to the number of occurrences of content delivery.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

collecting statistical data about reservations for the content and actual delivery of the content; and

sending the collected statistical data to a terminal station that is used by a provider of the content.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

there are a plurality of user terminals, each of which sends delivery schedule information;

said storing step (a) stores the delivery schedule information sent from the plurality of user terminals;

said determining step (b) handles a plurality of desired delivery times specified by the plurality of user terminals; and

said delivering step (c) simulcasts the content to the plurality of user terminals, if the plurality of desired delivery times agree with each other.

9. A method of receiving content at a user terminal which is delivered from a server over a network, comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting delivery schedule information to the server in response to an external input, wherein the delivery schedule information specifies a desired delivery time;

(b) storing the transmitted delivery schedule information into a storage device;

(c) determining whether the desired delivery time is reached, by comparing the present time with the desired delivery time specified in the delivery schedule information that is stored in the storage device;

(e) issuing a message that requests permission for receiving the content, when the desired delivery time is reached;

(f) upon receipt of the permission, notifying the server that the user terminal is ready for receiving the content; and

(g) displaying the content being delivered from the server.

10. A server connected to a user terminal via a network, comprising:

a storage device;

delivery schedule receiving means for receiving delivery schedule information from the user terminal which specifies a desired delivery time, and saving the received delivery schedule information in said storage device;

delivery time determination means for determining whether the desired delivery time is reached, by comparing the present time with the desired delivery time specified in the delivery schedule information that is stored in the storage device; and

delivering means for delivering the content to the user terminal when notified by said delivery time determination means that the desired delivery time has been reached.

11. A user terminal connected to a server that distributes content over a network, comprising:

a storage device;

delivery schedule transmission means for transmitting delivery schedule information to the server in response to an external input, wherein the delivery schedule information specifies a desired delivery time;

delivery schedule recording means for recording the transmitted delivery schedule information into a storage device;

delivery time determination means for determining whether the desired delivery time is reached, by comparing the present time with the desired delivery time specified in the delivery schedule information that is stored in the storage device;

message issuing means for issuing a message that requests permission for receiving the content, when the desired delivery time is reached;

notifying means for notifying, upon receipt of the permission, the server that the user terminal is ready for receiving the content; and

content displaying means for displaying the content being delivered from the server.

12. A program product for delivering content to a user terminal over a network, the program product causing a computer system to perform the steps of:

(a) upon receipt of delivery schedule information from the user terminal which specifies a desired delivery time, storing the received delivery schedule information into a storage device;

(b) determining whether the desired delivery time is reached, by comparing the present time with the desired delivery time specified in the delivery schedule information that is stored in the storage device; and

(c) delivering the content to the user terminal when the desired delivery time is reached.

13. A program product for receiving content from a server, the program product causing a computer system to perform the steps of:

(a) transmitting delivery schedule information to the server in response to an external input, wherein the delivery schedule information specifies a desired delivery time;

(b) storing the transmitted delivery schedule information into a storage device;

(c) determining whether the desired delivery time is reached, by comparing the present time with the desired delivery time specified in the delivery schedule information that is stored in the storage device;

(e) issuing a message that requests permission for receiving the content, when the desired delivery time is reached;

(f) upon receipt of the permission, notifying the server that the user terminal is ready for receiving the content; and

(g) displaying the content being delivered from the server.

14. A computer-readable storage medium which stores a computer program for delivering content to a user terminal over a network, the computer program causing a computer system to perform the steps of:

(a) upon receipt of delivery schedule information from the user terminal which specifies a desired delivery time, storing the received delivery schedule information into a storage device;

(b) determining whether the desired delivery time is reached, by comparing the present time with the desired delivery time specified in the delivery schedule information that is stored in the storage device; and

(c) delivering the content to the user terminal when the desired delivery time is reached.

15. A computer-readable storage medium which stores a computer program for receiving content from a server, the computer program causing a computer system to perform the steps of:

(a) transmitting delivery schedule information to the server in response to an external input, wherein the delivery schedule information specifies a desired delivery time;

(b) storing the transmitted delivery schedule information into a storage device;

(c) determining whether the desired delivery time is reached, by comparing the present time with the desired delivery time specified in the delivery schedule information that is stored in the storage device;

(e) issuing a message that requests permission for receiving the content, when the desired delivery time is reached;

(f) upon receipt of the permission, notifying the server that the user terminal is ready for receiving the content; and

(g) displaying the content being delivered from the server.