Communication system, mobile communication network, contents server, program and recording medium

• US 20040192195A1
• Filed: 01/20/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Seki, Takashi, Soga, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 7,386,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A provider code is added to a request signal transmitted to contents server SP1 from mobile unit MS by mobile communication network GSM. Border switching station CMMS adds a roaming flag to the request signal, and forwards the request signal to gateway unit GW. Gateway unit GW converts the provider code contained in the request signal into the country code by referring to the code conversion table, and transmits HTTP request to contents server CP1 after adding the country code and roaming identification information to HTTP header. When contents server CP1 receives the above-mentioned HTTP request, CP1 determines whether the requested contents are allowed to be transmitted abroad by referring to the transmission table. When transmission of the requested contents is not permitted, contents server CP1 transmits an error notification to mobile unit MS to notify that transmission is not permitted.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a first mobile communication network;

a second mobile communication network for providing to a mobile unit of a user under a contractual agreement with said second mobile communication network a roaming service via said first mobile communication network; and

a contents server for transmitting to a mobile unit contents via said second mobile communication network, or via said second mobile communication network and said first mobile communication network,

wherein said second mobile communication network comprising;

data relaying means for receiving a data signal addressed to said contents server and transmitted from a mobile unit, and transmitting to said contents server the received data signal;

storage means for storing contents identification information identifying contents which are designated not to be transmitted to a mobile unit in said first mobile communication network and can be transmitted from said contents server; and

rejection means for rejecting a request for any one of contents denoted by contents identification information stored in said storage means, contained in a data signal which is received by said data relaying means, addresses to said contents server and transmitted from a mobile unit in said first mobile communication network.

2. A relaying unit which is installed in a mobile communication network for providing to a mobile unit of a user under a contractual agreement with a network in which said relaying unit is provided, a roaming service via another mobile communication network, said relaying unit comprising:

data relaying means for receiving a data signal transmitted from a mobile unit and addressed to a contents server which provides a contents transmission service, and transmitting to said contents server the received data signal; and

addition means for adding certain identification information to a data signal received from a mobile unit in said another mobile communication network and transmitted to said contents server by said relaying means.

3. A relaying unit which is provided in a mobile communication network for providing to a mobile unit of a user under a contractual agreement with a network in which said relaying unit is provided, a roaming service via another mobile communication network, said relaying unit comprising:

data relaying means for receiving a data signal transmitted from a mobile unit and addressed to a contents server which provides a contents transmission service, and transmitting to said contents server the received data signal;

storage means for storing contents identification information identifying contents which are designated not to be transmitted to a mobile unit in said another mobile communication network and can be transmitted from said contents server; and

rejection means for rejecting a request for any one of contents denoted by contents identification information stored in said storage means, contained in a data signal which is received by said data relaying means, addresses to said contents server and transmitted from a mobile unit in said another mobile communication network.

4. A contents server comprising:

contents transmission means for receiving a data signal transmitted from a mobile unit via a mobile communication network, and transmitting contents to said mobile unit in response to a request contained in said data signal; and

detection means for detecting whether a data signal received by said contents transmission means is attached with identification information showing that said data signal is transmitted from a mobile unit in a mobile communication network which is not a mobile communication network to which said server is connected,

wherein said contents transmission means, when said detection means detects that said data signal is attached with said identification information, transmits to a mobile unit which transmits said data signal notification that requested contents cannot be transmitted.

5. A contents server comprising:

contents transmission means for receiving a data signal transmitted from a mobile unit via a mobile communication network, and transmitting contents to said mobile unit in response to a request contained in said data signal; and

detection means for detecting whether a data signal received by said contents transmission means is attached with identification information showing that said data signal is transmitted from a mobile unit in a mobile communication network which is not a mobile communication network to which said server is connected,

wherein said contents transmission means, when said detection means detects that said data signal is attached with said identification information, transmits to a mobile unit which transmits said data signal, proxy contents for substituting said contents.

6. A contents server comprising:

contents transmission means for receiving a data signal transmitted from a mobile unit via a mobile communication network, and transmitting contents to said mobile unit in response to a request contained in said data signal; and

detection means for detecting whether a data signal received by said contents transmission means is attached with identification information for identifying an area served by a mobile communication network to which said mobile unit belongs, or with identification information for identifying a mobile communication network itself to which said mobile unit belongs,

wherein said contents transmission means, when said detection means detects that said data signal is attached with said identification information, transmits contents in accordance with said identification information to said mobile unit.