Content delivery method and content delivery system

• US 20050166264A1
• Filed: 01/07/2003
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Tomioka, Atsuki, Miura, Fumiaki, Asai, Mao, Kondo, Takashi, Washio, Satoshi, Watanabe, Nobuyuki, Yamada, Kazuhiro, Kawabata, Hiroshi, Tsuda, Masayuki, Kamiya, Dai
• Granted Patent: US 7,530,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

Mobile unit 16 which can activate Java-AP software receives SDF (Security Descriptive File) 204 from administering server unit 18 which a trustworthy organization (a communication provider which administers mobile packet communication network 15) administers, and obtains ADF 205 from IP server unit 13 by using URL contained in the SDF, and obtains Jar file 206 from IP server unit 13 by using ADF 205, and installs in itself Java-AP containing these files. Java-AP, which is achieved by activating the installed Java-AP software, operates within the range of authorization expressed by policy information contained in SDF 204.

Claims

1. A transmission method comprising:

a process for transmitting an authorization file in a communication system in which an originator originates a request including information showing a storage of a file and the file is transmitted in response to said request, said process for transmitting including transmitting a security descriptive file as said authorization file from an administering server unit storing said security descriptive file through a secure link to a terminal unit, the security descriptive file containing first identification information and authorization information, the first identification information showing a storage location of an application descriptive file, the application descriptive file having information dependent upon an entity file, which includes software for executing an application, along with information showing a storage location of said entity file, the authorization information of the security descriptive file indicating an allowable range of an operation of the application which is executed in accordance with said software, said terminal unit executing operation of the application within a range shown by said authorization information;

a dependent information obtaining process for said terminal unit to obtain, by using said first identification information contained in said security descriptive file transmitted from said communication system in said authorization transmission process, said application descriptive file from one or a plurality of server units in which said application descriptive file is stored; and

a program obtaining process for said terminal unit to obtain said entity file from said communication system by using said application descriptive file obtained in said dependent information obtaining process.

2. A transmission method according to claim 1,

wherein said application descriptive file is obtained from said administering server unit by said dependent information obtaining process.

3. A transmission method according to claim 1,

wherein said entity file is obtained from said administering server unit by said program obtaining process.

4. A transmission system according to claim 1,

wherein said application descriptive file is obtained from said administering server unit in said dependent information obtaining process, and

wherein said entity file is obtained from said administering server unit in said program obtaining process.

5. A transmission method according to claim 1 further comprising:

an encryption process for said communication system to encrypt said security descriptive file; and

a decoding process for said terminal unit to decode said security descriptive file transmitted by said communication system in said process for transmitting an authorization file,

wherein, in said process for transmitting an authorization file, said security descriptive file encrypted in said encryption process is transmitted to said terminal unit, and

wherein, in said dependent information obtaining process, said terminal unit obtains said application descriptive file by using said security descriptive file decoded in said decoding process.

6. A transmission process according to claim 1,

wherein said authorization information shows restriction on use of a resource.

7. A transmission method according to claim 6,

wherein said resource is a hardware resource inside said terminal unit.

8. A transmission method according to claim 6,

wherein said resource is a hardware resource outside said terminal unit which said terminal unit can use.

9. A transmission method according to claim 6,

wherein said resource is a software resource inside said terminal unit.

10. A transmission method according to claim 6,

wherein, said resource is a software resource outside said terminal unit which said terminal unit can use.

11. A transmission method according to claim 6,

wherein said resource is a network resource which said terminal unit can use.

12. A transmission method according to claim 1,

wherein said authorization information shows a type of use of a resource.

13. A transmission method according to claim 1,

wherein an application descriptive file corresponding to said application is signed by a secret key a certifying agent gives to an information provider providing said application,

wherein a security descriptive file corresponding to said application contains a public key a certifying agent gives to said information provider, and

wherein, in said program obtaining process, said terminal unit inspects authenticity of an application descriptive file obtained in said dependent information obtaining process by using said public key, and obtains said entity file from said communication system by using said application descriptive file only when authenticity is verified.

14. A transmission method according to claim 1,

wherein said application descriptive file and said security descriptive file contain an application identifier an administrator which administers said administering server unit gives, and

wherein, in said program obtaining process, said terminal unit compares an application identifier contained in a security descriptive file transmitted by said administering server unit in said authorization transmission process to an application identifier contained in an application descriptive file obtained in said dependent information obtaining process, and obtains said entity file from said communication system by using said application descriptive file only when both identifiers match.

15. A transmission method according to claim 1,

wherein said communication system further comprises an information providing server unit in which a file for downloading containing a second identification information showing a stored location of said security descriptive file;

an advance transmission process for said communication system to transmit said file for downloading to a terminal unit; and

a process for requesting transmission of an authorization file for said terminal unit to request said communication system for transmission of said security descriptive file by using said file for downloading transmitted by said communication system in said advance transmission process,

wherein, in said authorization transmission process, said communication system transmits to said terminal unit said security descriptive file requested by said process for requesting transmission of an authorization file.

16. A transmission method according to claim 1,

wherein a process after said dependent information obtaining process is carried out only when a security descriptive file transmitted in said dependent information transmission process is stored in said administering server unit.

17. A transmission method according to any one of claim 1 to claim 16, wherein said terminal unit is a mobile unit.

18. A transmission system comprising:

a communication system for returning, when a stored location of a file is notified, said file which comprises one or a plurality of server units in which an entity file containing software for achieving an application and an application descriptive file which has a content dependent upon said entity file showing a stored location of said entity file, and an administering server unit in which a security descriptive file containing a first identification information showing a stored location of said application descriptive file and authorization information showing authorization given to an application which is achieved when a terminal unit executes said software is stored; and

a terminal unit which approves operation of an application in accordance with authorization given to said application,

wherein said administering server unit transmits said security descriptive file to said terminal unit by assuring security, and

wherein said terminal unit obtains said application descriptive file by using said first identification information contained in said security descriptive file transmitted by said communication system, and said entity file from said communication system by using said application descriptive file.

19. A transmission system according to claim 18,

wherein said administering-server unit stores said application descriptive file.

20. A transmission system according to claim 18,

wherein said administering server unit stores said entity file.

21. A transmission system according to claim 18,

wherein, said administering server unit stores said application descriptive file, and

wherein said administering server unit stores said entity file.