Information contents download system

• US 20050283483A1
• Filed: 06/15/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Okamoto, Minoru, Yoshioka, Shirou, Kishi, Tetsuji, Ueda, Katsuhiko
• Application Number:
  US11/152,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20050283483A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A terminal device transmits device information thereof and a request for acquiring information contents to a contents distribution device. The contents distribution device generates a request for distributing a program for materializing the information contents in the terminal device based on the information contents designated in the acquisition request and the device information, and transmits the distribution request to a program distribution device and transmits the device information to an inspection device. The program distribution device transmits the program in the distribution request to the inspection device. The inspection device inspects a materialization state of the information contents in the terminal device based on the program and the device information and transmits a result of the inspection to the program distribution device and the contents distribution device. The program distribution device transmits the program to the terminal device and the contents distribution device transmits the information contents to the terminal device only when the inspection result is favorable.

Claims

1. An information contents download system comprising:

a terminal device comprising a hardware configuration capable of materializing optional information contents by adding a predetermined function thereto;

a contents distribution device for distributing the information contents;

a program distribution device for distributing a program for realizing the function used for the materialization in the terminal device of the information contents in the terminal device; and

an inspection device for reproducing and inspecting an execution state of the program in the terminal device, the respective devices being connected to one another to enable an intercommunication via an electric communication line, wherein

the terminal device transmits device information of the terminal device and a request for acquiring information contents desired by a user of the terminal device identified based on an instruction input operation implemented to the terminal device by the user of the terminal device to the contents distribution device, and receives the information contents desired by the user from the contents distribution device and the program required for the materialization of the desired information contents is received from the program distribution device, and

the terminal device further materializes the information contents by means of the function acquired in execution of the received program,

the contents distribution device judges whether or not a new program for realizing the function for materializing the information contents in the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request is necessary based on the information contents requested in the acquisition request received from the terminal device and the device information attached to the acquisition request, and transmits the information contents requested in the received acquisition request to the terminal device when the new program is judged to be unnecessary, and

the contents distribution device further designates the new program when the program is judged to be necessary, and transmits a request for distributing the designated program to the program distribution device and transmits the device information of the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request to the inspection device,

the program distribution device transmits the program designated in the distribution request received from the contents distribution device to the inspection device,

the inspection device reproduces a materialization state of the information contents using the program in the terminal device based on the program received from the program distribution device and the device information received from the contents distribution device and inspects a reproduction state thereof, and transmits a result of the inspection to the program distribution device and the contents distribution device,

the program distribution device transmits the program designated in the distribution request to the terminal device only when the inspection result received from the inspection device is favorable, and

the contents distribution device transmits the information contents indicated in the received acquisition request to the terminal device in the case of necessitating the new program in the terminal device only when the inspection result received from the inspection device is favorable.

2. An information contents download system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the terminal device comprises:

an input unit for receiving an instruction input operation implemented to the terminal device by the user of the terminal device;

a transmitter for transmitting a signal including the acquisition request for the information contents desired by the user of the terminal device identified based on the instruction input operation implemented to the input unit by the user and device information of the terminal device to the contents distribution device;

a receiver for receiving a signal including the information contents desired by the user from the contents distribution device and receiving a signal including the program required for materializing the desired information contents from the program distribution device; and

an executor for materializing the information contents by means of the function obtained in execution of the program,

the contents distribution device comprises;

a receiver for receiving the signal including the acquisition request and the device information of the terminal device from the terminal device and a signal including the inspection result from the inspection device;

a designator for judging whether or not the new program is necessary for realizing the function for materializing the information contents in the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request based on the information contents requested in the received acquisition request and the device information attached to the acquisition request, the designator designating the new program when the new program is necessary;

a contents storing unit for storing the information contents; and

a transmitter for reading the information contents requested in the received acquisition request from the contents storing unit and transmitting the signal including the information contents to the terminal device, the transmitter further transmitting a signal including the distribution request for the program designated in the designator to the program distribution device and transmitting the signal including the device information of the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request to the inspection device,

the program distribution device comprises;

a receiver for receiving the signal including the distribution request from the contents distribution device and the signal including the inspection result from the inspection device;

a program storing unit for storing the program; and

a transmitter for reading the program designated in the received distribution request from the program storing unit and transmitting the signal including the program to the inspection device only when the received inspection result is favorable,

the inspection device comprises;

a receiver for receiving the signal including the program from the program distribution device and the signal including the device information of the terminal device desiring the program from the contents distribution device;

an inspector adapted to realize a device configuration of the terminal device on software based on the received device information and execute the program on the realized device configuration, the inspector further reproducing the materialization state of the information contents using the program in the terminal device based on the received program and device information and inspecting the reproduction state thereof; and

a transmitter for transmitting a signal including a result of the inspection of the inspector to the program distribution device and the contents distribution device, and

the transmitter of the contents distribution device transmits the signal including the information contents designated in the acquisition request when the new program is not necessary in the terminal device, and reads the information contents requested in the received acquisition request from the contents storing unit and transmits the signal including the information contents to the terminal device in the case of necessitating the new program in the terminal device only when the inspection result of the inspection device is favorable.

3. An information contents download system as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the transmitter of the terminal device transmits a signal including a request for presenting a list of the information contents inputted to the input unit by the user to the contents distribution device,

the designator of the contents distribution device generates a list of information of the information contents that can be materialized in the terminal device based on the list-presenting request and the device information received from the terminal device,

the transmitter of the contents distribution device transmits a signal including the list of information generated in the designator to the terminal device, and

the terminal device further comprises a presenter for presenting the list of information received from the contents distribution device to the user, and the input unit of the terminal device confirms contents of the acquisition request based on acknowledgment of the instruction input operation implemented to the input unit by the user referring to the list of information presented in the presenter.

4. An information contents download system as claimed in claim 3, wherein

a plurality of inspection devices is provided,

the designator of the contents distribution device generates the list of information including introduction information of the plurality of inspection devices,

the transmitter of the terminal device generates the acquisition request including a request for designating the inspection device based on acknowledgement of the instruction input operation implemented to the input unit by the user referring to the list of information presented in the presenter,

the designator of the contents distribution device designates the inspection device based on the designation request for the inspection device included in the acquisition request, and

the transmitter of the contents distribution device transmits the signal including the device information of the terminal device to the inspection device designated in the designator.

5. An information contents download system as claimed in claim 3, wherein

a plurality of program distribution devices is provided,

the designator of the contents distribution device generates the list of information including introduction information of the plurality of program distribution devices,

the transmitter of the terminal device generates the acquisition request including a request for designating the program distribution device based on acknowledgement of the instruction input operation implemented to the input unit by the user referring to the list of information presented in the presenter,

the designator of the contents distribution device designates the program distribution device based on the designation request for the program distribution device included in the acquisition request, and

the transmitter of the contents distribution device transmits the signal including the device information of the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request to the program distribution device designated in the designator.

6. An information contents download system as claimed in claim 2, wherein

a program storing unit for storing the program is provided in the inspection device,

the transmitter of the contents distribution device transmits a signal including a request for designating the program to the inspection device, and

the inspector of the inspection device reads the program designated in the received program designation request from the program storing unit of the inspection device and inspects the program.

7. A function download system comprising:

a terminal device comprising a hardware configuration capable of realizing an optional function on software;

a program distribution device for distributing a program for realizing the function in the terminal device;

a distribution management device for managing distribution of the program; and

an inspection device for reproducing and inspecting an execution state of the program in the terminal device, the respective devices being connected to one another to enable an intercommunication via an electric communication line, wherein

the terminal device transmits device information of the terminal device and a request for acquiring a function desired by a user of the terminal device and acknowledged based on the instruction input operation implemented to the terminal device by the user to the distribution management device, receives the program corresponding to the function desired by the user from the program distribution device, and executes the received program,

the distribution management device designates a program required for realizing the function in the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request based on the function designated in the acquisition request received from the terminal device and the device information attached to the acquisition request, transmits a request for distributing the designated program to the program distribution device, and transmits the device information of the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request to the inspection device,

the program distribution device transmits the program designated in the distribution request received from the distribution management device to the inspection device,

the inspection device reproduces an execution state of the program in the terminal device based on the program received from the program distribution device and the device information received from the distribution management device, inspects a reproduction state thereof, and transmits a result of the inspection to the program distribution device, and

the program distribution device further transmits the program required for realizing the function desired by the terminal device in the terminal device to the terminal device only when the inspection result received from the inspection device is favorable.

8. A function download system as claimed in claim 7, wherein

the terminal device comprises:

an input unit for receiving an instruction input operation carried out to the terminal device by the user of the terminal device;

a transmitter for transmitting a signal including the acquisition request for the function desired by the user of the terminal device identified based on the instruction input operation implemented to the input unit by the user and the device information of the terminal device to the distribution management device;

a receiver for receiving a signal including the program corresponding to the function desired by the user from the program distribution device; and

an executor for executing the received program,

the distribution management device comprises;

a receiver for receiving the signal including the acquisition request and the device information of the terminal device from the terminal device;

a designator for designating a program required for realizing the function in the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request based on the function designated in the received acquisition request and the device information attached to the acquisition request; and

a transmitter for transmitting a signal including a request for distributing the program designated in the designator to the program distribution device and the signal including the device information of the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request to the inspection device,

the program distribution device comprises;

a receiver for receiving the signal including the distribution request from the distribution management device and receiving a signal including a result of the inspection from the inspection device;

a program storing unit for storing the program; and

a transmitter for reading the program designated in the received distribution request from the program storing unit and transmitting the signal including the program to the inspection device,

the inspection device comprises;

a receiver for receiving the signal including the program from the program distribution device and receiving the signal including the device information of the terminal device desiring the program from the distribution management device;

an inspector adapted to realize a device configuration of the terminal device on software based on the received device information and execute the program on the realized device configuration, the inspector further reproducing an execution state of the program in the terminal device based on the received program and device information and inspecting a reproduction state thereof; and

a transmitter for transmitting a signal including a result of the inspection of the inspector to the program distribution device, and

the transmitter of the program distribution device reads the program required for realizing the function desired by the terminal device in the terminal device from the program storing unit and transmits the signal including the program to the terminal device only when the received inspection result is favorable.

9. A function download system as claimed in claim 8, wherein

the transmitter of the terminal device transmits a signal including a request for presenting a list of the functions inputted to the input unit by the user to the distribution management device,

the designator of the distribution management device generates a list of information of the functions realizable in the terminal device based on the list-presenting request and the device information received from the terminal device,

the transmitter of the distribution management device transmits a signal including the list of information generated in the designator to the terminal device,

the terminal device further comprises a presenter for presenting the list of information received from the distribution management device to the user, and

the input unit of the terminal device confirms contents of the acquisition request based on acknowledgement of the instruction input operation implemented to the input unit by the user referring to the list of information presented in the presenter.

10. A function download system as claimed in claim 9, wherein

a plurality of inspection devices is provided,

the designator of the distribution management device generates the list of information including introduction information of the plurality of inspection devices,

the transmitter of the terminal device generates the acquisition request including a request for designating the inspection device based on acknowledgement of the instruction input operation implemented to the input unit by the user referring to the list of information presented in the presenter,

the designator of the distribution management device designates the inspection device based on the designation request included in the acquisition request, and

the transmitter of the distribution management device transmits the signal including the device information of the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request to the inspection device designated in the designator.

11. A function download system as claimed in claim 9, wherein

a plurality of program distribution devices is provided,

the designator of the distribution management device generates the list of information including introduction information of the plurality of program distribution devices,

the transmitter of the terminal device generates the acquisition request including a request for designating the program distribution device based on acknowledgement of the instruction input operation implemented to the input unit by the user referring to the list of information presented in the presenter,

the designator of the distribution management device designates the program distribution device based on the designation request included in the acquisition request, and

the transmitter of the distribution management device transmits the signal including the device information of the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request to the program distribution device designated in the designator.

12. A function download system as claimed in claim 8, wherein

the inspection device stores the program,

the transmitter of the distribution management device transmits a signal including a request for designating the program to the inspection device, and

the inspector of the inspection device reads the program designated in the received program designation request from the inspection device and inspects the program.

13. A contents distribution device connected to:

a terminal device comprising a hardware configuration capable of realizing an optional function software;

a program distribution device for distributing a program for realizing the function in the terminal device; and

an inspection device for reproducing and inspecting an execution state of the program in the terminal device to enable an intercommunication via an electric communication line, comprising;

a receiver for receiving a signal including a request for acquiring information contents desired by a user of the terminal device and device information of the terminal device from the terminal device and receiving a signal including a result of the inspection from the inspection device;

a designator for judging whether or not a new program is necessary for realizing the function for materializing the information contents in the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request based on the information contents requested in the received acquisition request and the device information attached to the acquisition request, the designator designating the new program when the new program is necessary;

a contents storing unit for storing the information contents; and

a transmitter for transmitting a signal including a request for distributing the program designated in the designator to the program distribution device, transmitting the signal including the device information of the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request, and reading the information contents designated in the acquisition request from the contents storing unit and transmitting a signal including the information contents to the terminal device, wherein

the transmitter transmits the signal including the information contents designated in the acquisition request when the new program is not necessary in the terminal device, and transmits the signal including the information contents designated in the acquisition request to the terminal device in the case of necessitating the new program in the terminal device only when the inspection result received from the inspection device is favorable.

14. A program distribution device connected to:

a terminal device comprising a hardware configuration capable of materializing optional information contents by adding a predetermined function thereto;

a contents distribution device for distributing the information contents; and

an inspection device for reproducing and inspecting an execution state in the terminal device of a program for realizing in the terminal device the function used for the materialization of the information contents in the terminal device to enable an intercommunication via an electric communication line, comprising;

a receiver for receiving a signal including a request for distributing the program from the contents distribution device and a signal including a result of the inspection from the inspection device;

a program storing unit for storing the program; and

a transmitter for reading the program designated in the distribution request from the program storing unit and transmitting a signal including the program to the inspection device, the transmitter further reading the program designated in the distribution request from the program string unit and transmitting the signal including the program to the terminal device only when the inspection result received from the inspection device is favorable.

15. An inspection device connected to:

a terminal device comprising a hardware configuration capable of materializing optional information contents by adding a predetermined function thereto;

a contents distribution device for distributing the information contents; and

a program distribution device for distributing a program for realizing the function used for the materialization in the terminal device of the information contents in the terminal device to enable an intercommunication via an electric communication line, comprising;

a receiver for receiving a signal including the program from the program distribution device and receiving a signal including device information of the terminal device desiring the program from the contents distribution device;

an inspector adapted to realize a device configuration of the terminal device on software based on the received device information and execute the program on the realized device configuration, the inspector further reproducing a materialization state of the information contents using the program in the terminal device based on the received program and device information and inspecting a reproduction state thereof; and

a transmitter for transmitting a signal including a result of the inspection of the inspector to the program distribution device and the contents distribution device.

16. A distribution management device connected to:

a terminal device comprising a hardware configuration capable of realizing an optional function on software;

a program distribution device for distributing a program for realizing the function used for the materialization in the terminal device of the information contents in the terminal device; and

an inspection device for reproducing and inspecting an execution state of the program in the terminal device to enable an intercommunication via an electric communication line, comprising;

a receiver for receiving a signal including a request for acquiring a function desired by a user of the terminal device and device information of the terminal device from the terminal device and receiving a signal including a result of the inspection of the inspection device from the inspection device;

a designator for designating the program required for realizing the function in the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request based on the function requested in the acquisition request and the device information attached to the acquisition request; and

a transmitter for transmitting a signal including a request for distributing the program designated in the designator to the program distribution device and transmitting the signal including the device information of the terminal device transmitting the acquisition request to the inspection device.

17. A program distribution device connected to:

a terminal device comprising a hardware configuration capable of realizing an optional function on software;

a distribution management device for managing distribution of a program for realizing the function in the terminal device; and

an inspection device for reproducing and inspecting an execution state of the program in the terminal device to enable an intercommunication via an electric communication line, comprising;

a receiver for receiving a signal including a request for distributing the program from the distribution management device and receiving a signal including a result of the inspection of the inspection device from the inspection device;

a program storing unit for storing the program; and

a transmitter for reading the program designated in the distribution request from the program storing unit and transmitting a signal including the program to the inspection device, the transmitter further reading the program designated in the distribution request from the program storing unit and transmitting the signal including the program to the terminal device only when the inspection received from the inspection device is favorable.

18. An inspection device connected to:

a terminal device comprising a hardware configuration capable of realizing an optional function on software;

a program distribution device for distributing a program for realizing the function in the terminal device; and

a distribution management device for managing distribution of the program to enable an intercommunication via an electric communication line, comprising;

a receiver for receiving a signal including the program from the program distribution device and receiving a signal including device information of the terminal device desiring the program from the distribution management device;

an inspector adapted to realize a device configuration of the terminal device on the software based on the received device information and execute the program on the realized device configuration, the inspector further reproducing an execution state of the program in the terminal device based on the received program and device information and inspecting a reproduction state thereof; and

a transmitter for transmitting a signal including a result of the inspection of the inspector to the program distribution device.

19. An information contents download charging system comprising:

a terminal device comprising a hardware configuration capable of materializing optional information contents by adding a predetermined function thereto;

a contents distribution device for distributing the information contents;

a program distribution device for distributing a program for realizing the function used for the materialization in the terminal device of the information contents in the terminal device;

an inspection device for reproducing and inspecting an execution state of the program in the terminal device; and

a settlement management device for managing respective settlement fund data of the terminal device, the contents distribution device, the program distribution device and the inspection device, the respective devices being connected to one another to enable an intercommunication via an electric communication line, wherein

the program distribution device distributes the program to the terminal device and the contents distribution device distributes the information contents to the terminal device only when a result of the inspection of the inspection device is favorable,

the terminal device transmits an instruction for paying a contents acquisition charge to the settlement management device when the information contents are acquired from the contents distribution device, and

the settlement management device executes a data process for paying the contents acquisition charge from the settlement fund data of the terminal device to the settlement fund data of the contents distribution device, a data process for paying a charge for acquiring the program from the settlement fund data of the contents distribution device to the settlement fund data of the program distribution device, and a data process for paying an inspection charge from the settlement fund data of the contents distribution device to the settlement fund data of the inspection device in response to reception of the payment instruction.

20. A function download charging system comprising:

a terminal device comprising a hardware configuration capable of realizing an optional function on software;

a program distribution device for distributing a program for realizing the function in the terminal device;

a distribution management device for managing distribution of the program;

an inspection device for reproducing and inspecting an execution state of the program in the terminal device; and

a settlement management device for managing respective settlement fund data of the terminal device, the program distribution device, the distribution management device and the inspection device, the respective devices being connected to one another to enable an intercommunication via an electric communication line, wherein

the program distribution device distributes the program to the terminal device only when a result of the inspection of the inspection result is favorable,

the terminal device transmits an instruction for paying a program acquisition charge to the settlement management device when the program is acquired from the program distribution device, and

the settlement management device executes a data process for paying the program acquisition charge from the settlement fund data of the terminal device to the settlement fund data of the distribution management device, a data process for paying the program acquisition charge from the settlement fund data of the distribution management device to the settlement fund data of the program distribution device, and a data process for paying an inspection charge from the settlement fund data of the distribution management device to the settlement fund data of the inspection device in response to reception of the payment instruction.