List management server for managing updating of list by third-party terminal, list management system, list managing method, and program

• US 20060149740A1
• Filed: 01/04/2006
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ito, Naoko, Watanabe, Masafumi, Tsutazawa, Natsuko
• Granted Patent: US 7,814,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A buddy list manager stores a buddy list sent from a receiver terminal and manages the buddy list. A controller accepts an updating request and identifying information of a third party terminal from the third party terminal. When the controller accepts the updating request and the identifying information from the third party terminal, the controller determines whether the third party has an updating authority for updating the buddy list or not, using the identifying information. If the controller judges that the third party has an updating authority for updating the buddy list, then the controller permits the third party terminal to update the buddy list.

Claims

1. A list management server for updating a list representing an information provider terminal monitored by a receiver terminal and used to distribute information from said information provider terminal to said receiver terminal, based on an updating request sent through a communication link from a third party terminal which is different from both said receiver terminal and an administrator terminal of an administrator of said list, said server comprising:

a list storage unit for storing said list; and

a controller for accepting said updating request from said third party terminal and identifying information for identifying a user of said third party terminal, determining whether said user has an updating authority to update said list or not, using said identifying information, and, if said controller judges that said user has an updating authority to update said list, permitting said third party terminal to update said list.

2. The list management server according to claim 1, wherein said controller comprises:

an authority storage unit for storing specifying information for specifying an authority holder that has an updating authority for updating the list stored in said list storage unit and that is different from said receiver and said administrator; and

an updating permission unit for accepting said updating request and said identifying information from said third party terminal, determining whether said user has said updating authority or not based on said identifying information and the specifying information stored in said authority storage unit, and permitting said third party terminal to update said list if said updating permission unit judges that said user has said updating authority.

3. The list management server according to claim 2, wherein said authority storage unit stores, as said specifying information, updating advisability information indicating whether each user who can use said list management server has said updating authority.

4. The list management server according to claim 2, wherein said list storage unit stores a plurality of said lists;

said authority storage unit stores specifying information for specifying an authority holder having an updating authority for updating each of said lists; and

said updating permission unit accepts an updating request for updating either one of said lists and said identifying information from said third party terminal, determines whether said user has an updating authority for updating the list which is requested to be updated by said updating request based on said identifying information and the specifying information of the list which is requested to be updated by said updating request, and permits said third party terminal to update said list if said updating permission unit judges that said user has said updating authority.

5. The list management server according to claim 2, wherein said authority storage unit stores specifying information for specifying an authority holder that has an updating authority for updating each information provider terminal indicated by said list;

and

said updating permission unit accepts said updating request and said identifying information from said third party terminal, determines whether said user has an updating authority for updating said each information provider terminal indicated by said list based on said identifying information and the specifying information stored in said authority storage unit, and 10 permits said third party terminal to update the information provider terminal in said list if said updating permission unit judges that said user has said updating authority for updating the information provider terminal.

6. The list management server according to claim 2, wherein said specifying information comprises a condition for specifying said authority holder.

7. The list management server according to claim 2, wherein said specifying information comprises a list for specifying said authority holder.

8. The list management server according to claim 2, wherein said specifying information represents said authority holder.

9. The list management server according to claim 2, wherein said specifying information represents an updating rejected person who is denied updating of said list.

10. The list management server according to claim 2, wherein said specifying information represents said authority holder and an updating rejected person who is denied updating of said list.

11. The list management server according to claim 2, wherein said updating permission unit determines whether said user has the updating authority for updating said list based on the identifying information of the user and the specifying information stored in said authority storage unit, and, if said updating permission unit is unable to determine whether said user has the updating authority for updating said list, said updating permission unit asks an authorized person terminal used by an authorized person having an updating authority for updating said list to inquire if said user is permitted to update said list, accepts an answer to the inquiry, and determines whether said user has the updating authority for updating said list based on said answer.

12. The list management server according to claim 2, wherein said authority storage unit stores first specifying information indicating whether each user that is capable of using said list management server has the updating authority for updating said list, second specifying information for specifying an authority holder having an updating authority for updating each of lists, and third specifying information for specifying an authority holder having an updating authority for updating each of information provider terminals indicated by said list;

and

said updating permission unit selects either one of said first specifying information, said second specifying information, and said third specifying information depending on said updating request from said third party terminal.

13. The list management server according to claim 1, wherein said controller comprises:

a confirmation unit for accepting said updating request and said identifying information, asking said receiver terminal to inquire if the user identified by said identifying information is permitted to update said list, and accepting an answer to the inquiry; and

an updating permission unit for determining whether said user has an updating authority for updating said list based on the answer accepted by said confirmation unit, and permitting said third party terminal to update said list if the updating permission unit judges that said user has an updating authority for updating said list.

14. The list management server according to claim 1, wherein said controller comprises:

a confirmation unit for accepting said updating request and said identifying information, asking said administrator terminal to inquire if the user identified by said identifying information is permitted to update said list, and accepting an answer to the inquiry; and

an updating permission unit for determining whether said user has an updating authority for updating said list based on the answer accepted by said confirmation unit, and permitting said third party terminal to update said list if the updating permission unit judges that said user has an updating authority for updating said list.

15. The list management server according to claim 1, wherein said controller accepts said updating request and an updating certificate representing an updating authority for updating said list, inquires at a certificate issuing unit for determining the validity of said updating certificate about the validity of said updating certificate, determines whether said user has an updating authority for updating said list based on an answer to the inquiry, and permits said third party terminal to update said list if said controller judges that said user has said updating authority.

16. A list management system for updating a list representing an information provider terminal monitored by a receiver terminal and used to distribute information from said information provider terminal to said receiver terminal, based on an updating request sent through a communication link from a third party terminal which is different from both said receiver terminal and an administrator terminal of an administrator of said list, said system comprising:

a list storage unit for storing said list; and

a controller for accepting said updating request and identifying information for identifying a user of said third party terminal from said third party terminal, determining whether said user has an updating authority to update said list, using said identifying information, and, if said controller judges that said user has an updating authority to update said list, permitting said third party terminal to update said list.

17. A list managing method to be carried out by a list management server for updating a list representing an information provider terminal monitored by a receiver terminal and used to distribute information from said information provider terminal to said receiver terminal, based on an updating request sent through a communication link from a third party terminal which is different from both said receiver terminal and an administrator terminal of an administrator of said list, said list management server including a list storage unit for storing said list, said list managing method comprising the steps of:

(a) accepting said updating request and identifying information for identifying a user of said third party terminal from said third party terminal, and determining whether said user has an updating authority to update said list, using said identifying information; and

(b) if it is judged that said user has an updating authority to update said list, permitting said third party terminal to update said list.

18. The list managing method according to claim 17, wherein said list management server includes an authority storage unit for storing specifying information for specifying an authority holder which has an updating authority for updating the list stored in said list storage unit and which is different from said receiver and said administrator;

said step (a) comprises the steps of accepting said updating request and said identifying information from said third party terminal, arid determining whether said user has said updating authority based on said identifying information and the specifying information stored in said authority storage unit.

19. The list managing method according to claim 18, wherein said authority storage unit stores, as said specifying information, updating advisability information indicating whether each user who can use said list management server has said updating authority.

20. The list managing method according to claim 18, wherein said list storage unit stores a plurality of said lists;

said authority storage unit stores specifying information for specifying an authority holder having an updating authority for updating each of said lists;

said step (a) comprises the steps of accepting an updating request for updating either one of said lists and said identifying information from said third party terminal, and determining whether said user has an updating authority for updating the list which is requested to be updated by said updating request based on said identifying information and the specifying information of the list which is requested to be updated by said updating request; and

said step (b) comprises the step of permitting said third party terminal to update said list if it is judged that said user has said updating authority of the list which is required to be updated by said updating request.

21. The list managing method according to claim 18, wherein said authority storage unit stores specifying information for specifying an authority holder which has an updating authority for updating each information provider terminal indicated by said list;

said step (a) comprises the steps of accepting said updating request and said identifying information from said third party terminal, and determining whether said user has an updating authority for updating said each information provider terminal indicated by said list based on said identifying information and the specifying information stored in said authority storage unit; and

said step (b) comprises the step of permitting said third party terminal to update the information provider terminal in said list if it is judged that said user has said updating authority for updating the information provider terminal.

22. The list managing method according to claim 18, wherein said specifying information comprises a condition for specifying said authority holder.

23. The list managing method according to claim 18, wherein said specifying information comprises a list for specifying said authority holder.

24. The list managing method according to claim 18, wherein said specifying information represents said authority holder.

25. The list managing method according to claim 18, wherein said specifying information represents an updating rejected person who is denied updating of said list.

26. The list managing method according to claim 18, wherein said specifying information represents said authority holder and an updating rejected person who is denied updating of said list.

27. The list managing method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

(c) determining whether said user has the updating authority for updating said list based on the identifying information of the user and the specifying information stored in said authority storage unit

(d) if it is impossible to determine whether said user has the updating authority for updating said list, asking an authorized person terminal used by an authorized person having an updating authority for updating said list to inquire if said user is permitted to update said list;

(e) accepting an answer to the inquiry;

said step (a) comprising the step of determining whether said user has the updating authority for updating said list based on said answer.

28. The list managing method according to claim 18, said authority storage unit stores first specifying information indicating whether each user capable of using said list management server has the updating authority for updating said list, second specifying information for specifying an authority holder having an updating authority for updating each of lists, and third specifying information for specifying an authority holder having an updating authority for updating each of information provider terminals indicated by said list;

said list managing method further comprising the step of;

selecting either one of said first specifying information, said second specifying information, and said third specifying information depending on said updating request from said third party terminal.

29. The list managing method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

accepting said updating request and said identifying information from said third party terminal, and asking said receiver terminal to inquire if the user identified by said identifying information is permitted to update said list; and

accepting an answer to the inquiry;

said step (a) comprising the step of determining whether said user has an updating authority for updating said list based on said answer.

30. The list managing method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

accepting said updating request and said identifying information from said third party terminal, and asking said administrator terminal to inquire if the user identified by said identifying information is permitted to update said list, and

accepts an answer to the inquiry;

said step (a) comprising the step of determining whether said user has an updating authority for updating said list based on said answer.

31. The list managing method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

accepting said updating request and an updating certificate representing an updating authority for updating said list from said third party terminal, inquires at a certificate issuing unit for determining the validity of said updating certificate about the validity of said updating certificate; and

accepting an answer to the inquiry;

said step (a) comprising the step of determining whether said user has an updating authority for updating said list based on said answer.

32. A list managing method to be carried out by a list management system for updating a list representing an information provider terminal monitored by a receiver terminal and used to distribute information from said information provider terminal to said receiver terminal, based on an updating request sent through a communication link from a third party terminal which is different from both said receiver terminal and an administrator terminal of an administrator of said list, said list management system including a list storage unit for storing said list, said list managing method comprising the steps of:

(a) accepting said updating request and identifying information for identifying a user of said third party terminal from said third party terminal, and determining whether said user has an updating authority to update said list, using said identifying information; and

(b) if it is judged that said user has an updating authority to update said list, permitting said third party terminal to update said list.

33. A program for controlling a computer for updating a list representing an information provider terminal monitored by a receiver terminal and used to distribute information from said information provider terminal to said receiver terminal, based on an updating request sent through a communication link from a third party terminal which is different from both said receiver terminal and an administrator terminal of an administrator of said list, said computer being connected to a list storage unit for storing said list, said program enabling said computer to perform a list management process comprising the steps of:

(a) accepting said updating request and identifying information for identifying a user of said third party terminal from said third party terminal, and determining whether said third party terminal has an updating authority to update said list, using said identifying information; and

(b) if it is judged that said user has an updating authority to update said list, permitting said third party terminal to update said list.

34. The program according to claim 33, wherein said computer is connected to an authority storage unit for storing specifying information for specifying an authority holder which has an updating authority for updating the list stored in said list storage unit and which is different from said receiver and said administrator;

said step (a) comprises the steps of accepting said updating request and said identifying information from said third party terminal, and determining whether said user has said updating authority based on said identifying information and the specifying information stored in said authority storage unit.

35. The program according to claim 33, wherein said step (a) comprises the steps of accepting said updating request and said identifying information from said third party terminal, asking said receiver terminal to inquire if the user identified by said identifying information is permitted to update said list, accepting an answer to the inquiry, and determining whether said user has an updating authority for updating said list based on said answer.

36. The program according to claim 33, wherein said step (a) comprises the steps of accepting said updating request and said identifying information from said third party terminal, asking said administrator terminal to inquire if the user identified by said identifying information is permitted to update said list, accepting an answer to the inquiry, and determining whether said user has an updating authority for updating said list based on said answer.

37. The program according to claim 33, wherein said step (a) comprises the steps of accepting said updating request and an updating certificate representing an updating authority for updating said list from said third party terminal, inquiring at a certificate issuing unit for determining the validity of said updating certificate about the validity of said updating certificate, accepting an answer to the inquiry, and determining whether said user has an updating authority for updating said list based on said answer.