Content distribution server, content distribution method, and program

• US 20050273399A1
• Filed: 06/07/2005
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Soma, Shunichi, Kuno, Hiroshi, Ebihara, Munetake
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• 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: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification

Abstract

The present invention provides a content distribution server that allows the terminals owned by a same user to purchase content without repeating purchase processing once it has been executed only on one of these terminals. The content distribution server is made up of a content database storing the content identified by content ID in a plurality of files having different attributes and a user database storing the content IDs of the content purchased by the user identified by user ID. At the time of content purchase processing by a first terminal, this content distribution server registers the user ID of the first terminal in the user database. Subsequently, when a request for distribution comes from a second terminal, the content distribution server searches the user database of the second terminal for the content having an attribute available to the second terminal on the basis of the user ID of the second terminal without executing the purchase processing and distributes the retrieved content to the second terminal.

Claims

1. A content distribution server for distributing content to a plurality of terminals owned by a user, comprising:

a content database for storing content identified by a content ID in a plurality of files having different attributes; and

a user database for storing, for each user identified by a user ID, a content ID of content purchased by the user;

wherein, when a content purchase request comes from a first terminal owned by the user, said first terminal is authenticated on the basis of a user ID received from said first terminal and, if said user ID is found correct, a content ID of said content requested for purchase is stored in said user database by relating said content ID with said user ID, said content requested for purchase having an attribute available to said first terminal is acquired from said content database, and said content is provided to said first terminal by attaching information indicative of said user ID to said content; and

when a content distribution request comes from a second terminal owned by the user, said second terminal is authenticated on the basis of a user ID received from said second terminal and, if said user ID is found correct, said user database is checked for a content ID corresponding to said user ID and, if said content ID corresponding to said user ID is found stored in said user database, said content requested for distribution having an attribute available to said second terminal is acquired from said content database, and said content is provided to said second terminal by attaching information indicative of said user ID to said content.

2. A content distribution method for distributing content to a plurality of terminals owned by a user, comprising the steps of, in a content distribution server having a content database for storing content identified by a content ID in a plurality of files having different attributes and a user database for storing, for each user identified by a user ID, a content ID of content purchased by the user:

when a content purchase request comes from a first terminal owned by the user,

authenticating said first terminal on the basis of a user ID received from said first terminal and,

storing, if said user ID is found correct, a content ID of said content requested for purchase in said user database by relating said content ID with said user ID,

acquiring said content requested for purchase having an attribute available to said first terminal from said content database, and

said content is provided to said first terminal by attaching information indicative of said user ID to said content; and

when a content distribution request comes from a second terminal owned by the user,

authenticating second terminal on the basis of a user ID received from said second terminal and,

checking, if said user ID is found correct, said user database for a content ID corresponding to said user ID and,

acquiring, if said content ID corresponding to said user ID is found stored in said user database, said content requested for distribution having an attribute available to said second terminal from said content database, and

providing content to said second terminal by attaching information indicative of said user ID to said content.

3. A program for making a computer function as a content distribution server having a content database for storing content identified by a content ID in a plurality of files having different attributes and a user database for storing, for each user identified by a user ID, a content ID of content purchased by the user, thereby distributing content to a plurality of terminals owned by a user, said program comprising the steps of:

when a content purchase request comes from a first terminal owned by the user,

authenticating said first terminal on the basis of a user ID received from said first terminal and,

storing, if said user ID is found correct, a content ID of said content requested for purchase in said user database by relating said content ID with said user ID,

acquiring said content requested for purchase having an attribute available to said first terminal from said content database, and

said content is provided to said first terminal by attaching information indicative of said user ID to said content; and

when a content distribution request comes from a second terminal owned by the user,

authenticating second terminal on the basis of a user ID received from said second terminal and,

checking, if said user ID is found correct, said user database for a content ID corresponding to said user ID and,

acquiring, if said content ID corresponding to said user ID is found stored in said user database, said content requested for distribution having an attribute available to said second terminal from said content database, and

providing content to said second terminal by attaching information indicative of said user ID to said content.