Information communication system, content output apparatus, user apparatus, content delivery apparatus, and methods for controlling content output apparatus, user apparatus, and content delivery apparatus

• US 20080249889A1
• Filed: 04/08/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kawakami, Hidehiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,170,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

In an information communication system, a portable apparatus stores owned content information as list information about a content already purchased by a user. The portable apparatus transmits the owned content information to an in-vehicle apparatus capable of wireless communication. When the in-vehicle apparatus does not store the content the user already purchased, the in-vehicle apparatus acquires content data for the content from a content delivery server. The information communication system can automatically supplement the in-vehicle apparatus to be used by the user with the content the user already purchased. As a result, the user can use the already purchased content on the in-vehicle apparatus without any inconvenient operations.

Claims

1. An information communication system comprising a content output apparatus capable of outputting a content represented by content data stored in a content storage device, a content delivery apparatus for delivering content data to the content output apparatus, and a user apparatus carried by a user using the content output apparatus,

wherein the user apparatus includes:

an owning information storage device for storing owned content information as list information about a content already purchased by a user of the user apparatus; and

an owning information transmission control unit for transmitting the owned content information to a content output apparatus capable of wireless communication with the user apparatus,

wherein the content output apparatus includes;

a content purchase control unit for, when a user requests to purchase a content, transmitting a purchase request for content data along with purchaser information capable of specifying a user as a purchaser to the content delivery apparatus and storing content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device; and

a content supplement control unit for, when the content storage device does not store content data for a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus, transmitting a request to transmit unstored content data along with owner information capable of specifying a user of the user apparatus to the content delivery apparatus and storing content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device,

wherein the content delivery apparatus includes;

a content transmission control unit for, when receiving a purchase request for content data from the content output apparatus, storing purchase information about a content as a purchase history of a user specified based on purchaser information received with the purchase request and transmitting the content data to a requesting content output apparatus; and

a content retransmission control unit for, when receiving a transmission request for content data from the content output apparatus, transmitting the content data to a requesting content output apparatus on condition that purchase information about the content is stored as a purchase history of a user specified based on owner information received with the transmission request.

2. The information communication system according to claim 1, wherein the content output apparatus includes a purchase information notification control unit for transmitting, as new content information, information about a content represented by content data stored by the content purchase control unit in the content storage device, to a user apparatus capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus, and

wherein the user apparatus includes an owning information update control unit for, when receiving the new content information, adding a content represented by the new content information as a purchased content to the owned content information.

3. The information communication system according to claim 2,

wherein the purchase information notification control unit transmits the new content information to a user apparatus of a user as a purchaser of a content.

4. The information communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the content output apparatus includes an owning information notification control unit for, when content data stored in the content storage device is excluded from a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus, transmitting information about a content represented by excluded content data as new content information to the user apparatus, and

wherein the user apparatus includes an owning information update control unit for, when receiving the new content information, adding a content represented by the new content information as a purchased content to the owned content information.

5. The information communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the content delivery apparatus includes a purchase information notification control unit for transmitting information, as new content information, about a content represented by content data transmitted by the content transmission control unit to a user apparatus of a user as a purchaser of the content, and

wherein the user apparatus includes an owning information update control unit for, when receiving the new content information, adding a content represented by the new content information as a purchased content to the owned content information.

6. The information communication system according to claim 1,

wherein, when the content storage device does not store content data for a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus and the user apparatus does not belong to a registered user, the content supplement control unit of the content output apparatus transmits the owner information and a transmission request for limited content data capable of outputting an unstored content under a limited condition to the content delivery apparatus and stores limited content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device, and

wherein the content delivery apparatus includes a limited content transmission control unit for, when receiving a transmission request for limited content data from the content output apparatus, transmitting the limited content data to a requesting content output apparatus on condition that purchase information about the content is stored as a purchase history of a user specified based on owner information received with the transmission request.

7. The information communication system according to claim 6,

wherein, when the content storage device does not store content data for a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus and the user apparatus does not belong to a registered user, the content supplement control unit of the content output apparatus transmits the owner information and a transmission request for limited content data for an unstored content selected by a user to the content delivery apparatus and stores limited content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device.

8. The information communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the content output apparatus includes:

an owner determination control unit for determining presence of a registered user; and

a usage inhibition control unit for, when the owner determination control unit determines absence of a registered user, inhibiting at least one of outputting a content represented by content data stored in the content storage device and purchasing a new content.

9. The information communication system according to claim 8,

wherein the owner determination control unit determines presence of a registered user when the registered user'"'"'s user apparatus is capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus.

10. The information communication system according to claim 8,

wherein the content output apparatus includes a feature detection control unit for detecting a user'"'"'s physical feature, and

wherein the owner determination control unit determines presence of a registered user when the feature detection control unit detects a registered user'"'"'s physical feature.

11. The information communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the owning information transmission control unit transmits the owned content information to a content output apparatus upon detection of the content output apparatus capable of wireless communication with the user apparatus.

12. The information communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the content output apparatus is mounted on a vehicle for use.

13. A content output apparatus used for an information communication system including:

a content output apparatus capable of outputting a content represented by content data stored in a content storage device;

a content delivery apparatus for delivering content data to the content output apparatus, the content delivery apparatus including a content transmission control unit for, when receiving a purchase request for content data from the content output apparatus, storing purchase information about a content as a purchase history of a user specified based on purchaser information received with the purchase request and transmitting the content data to a requesting content output apparatus and a content retransmission control unit for, when receiving a transmission request for content data from the content output apparatus, transmitting the content data to a requesting content output apparatus on condition that purchase information about the content is stored as a purchase history of a user specified based on owner information received with the transmission request; and

a user apparatus carried by a user using the content output apparatus, the user apparatus including an owning information storage device for storing owned content information as list information about a content already purchased by a user and an owning information transmission control unit for transmitting the owned content information to a content output apparatus capable of wireless communication,

wherein the content output apparatus comprises;

a content purchase control unit for, when a user requests to purchase a content, transmitting a purchase request for content data along with purchaser information capable of specifying a user as a purchaser to the content delivery apparatus and storing content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device; and

a content supplement control unit for, when the content storage device does not store content data for a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus, transmitting a request to transmit unstored content data along with owner information capable of specifying a user of the user apparatus to the content delivery apparatus and storing content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device.

14. The content output apparatus according to claim 13,

wherein the content output apparatus includes a purchase information notification control unit for transmitting new content information, i.e., information about a content represented by content data stored by the content purchase control unit in the content storage device, to a user apparatus capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus, and

wherein the user apparatus includes an owning information update control unit for, when receiving the new content information, adding a content represented by the new content information as a purchased content to the owned content information.

15. The content output apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the purchase information notification control unit transmits the new content information to a user apparatus of a user as a purchaser of a content.

16. The content output apparatus according to claim 13,

wherein the content output apparatus includes an owning information notification control unit for, when content data stored in the content storage device is excluded from a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus, transmitting information about a content represented by excluded content data as new content information to the user apparatus, and

wherein the user apparatus includes an owning information update control unit for, when receiving the new content information, adding a content represented by the new content information as a purchased content to the owned content information.

17. The content output apparatus according to claim 13,

wherein, when the content storage device does not store content data for a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus and the user apparatus does not belong to a registered user, the content supplement control unit of the content output apparatus transmits the owner information and a transmission request for limited content data capable of outputting an unstored content under a limited condition to the content delivery apparatus and stores limited content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device, and

wherein the content delivery apparatus includes a limited content transmission control unit for, when receiving a transmission request for limited content data from the content output apparatus, transmitting the limited content data to a requesting content output apparatus on condition that purchase information about the content is stored as a purchase history of a user specified based on owner information received with the transmission request.

18. The content output apparatus according to claim 17,

wherein, when the content storage device does not store content data for a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus and the user apparatus does not belong to a registered user, the content supplement control unit of the content output apparatus transmits the owner information and a transmission request for limited content data for an unstored content selected by a user to the content delivery apparatus and stores limited content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device.

19. The content output apparatus according to claim 13,

wherein the content output apparatus includes:

an owner determination control unit for determining presence of a registered user; and

a usage inhibition control unit for, when the owner determination control unit determines absence of a registered user, inhibiting at least one of outputting a content represented by content data stored in the content storage device and purchasing a new content.

20. The content output apparatus according to claim 19,

wherein the owner determination control unit determines presence of a registered user when the registered user'"'"'s user apparatus is capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus.

21. The content output apparatus according to claim 19,

wherein the content output apparatus includes a feature detection control unit for detecting a user'"'"'s physical feature, and

wherein the owner determination control unit determines presence of a registered user when the feature detection control unit detects a registered user'"'"'s physical feature.

22. A user apparatus used for an information communication system including:

a content output apparatus capable of outputting a content represented by content data stored in a content storage device, the content output apparatus including a content purchase control unit for, when a user requests to purchase a content, transmitting a purchase request for content data along with purchaser information capable of specifying a user as a purchaser to a content delivery apparatus and storing content data received from the content delivery apparatus in a content storage device and a content supplement control unit for, when the content storage device does not store content data for a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication and the content being already purchased by a user of the user apparatus, transmitting a request to transmit unstored content data along with owner information capable of specifying a user of the user apparatus to the content delivery apparatus and storing content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device;

a content delivery apparatus for delivering content data to the content output apparatus, the content delivery apparatus including a content transmission control unit for, when receiving a purchase request for content data from the content output apparatus, storing purchase information about a content as a purchase history of a user specified based on purchaser information received with the purchase request and transmitting the content data to a requesting content output apparatus and a content retransmission control unit for, when receiving a transmission request for content data from the content output apparatus, transmitting the content data to a requesting content output apparatus on condition that purchase information about the content is stored as a purchase history of a user specified based on owner information received with the transmission request; and

a user apparatus carried by a user using the content output apparatus,

wherein the user apparatus comprises;

an owning information storage device for storing owned content information as list information about a content already purchased by a user of the user apparatus; and

an owning information transmission control unit for transmitting the owned content information to a content output apparatus capable of wireless communication with the user apparatus.

23. The user apparatus according to claim 22,

wherein the content output apparatus includes a purchase information notification control unit for transmitting new content information, i.e., information about a content represented by content data stored by the content purchase control unit in the content storage device, to a user apparatus capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus, and

wherein the user apparatus includes an owning information update control unit for, when receiving the new content information, adding a content represented by the new content information as a purchased content to the owned content information.

24. The information communication system according to claim 22,

wherein the content output apparatus includes an owning information notification control unit for, when content data stored in the content storage device is excluded from a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus, transmitting information about a content represented by excluded content data as new content information to the user apparatus, and

wherein the user apparatus includes an owning information update control unit for, when receiving the new content information, adding a content represented by the new content information as a purchased content to the owned content information.

25. The user apparatus according to claim 22,

wherein the content delivery apparatus includes a purchase information notification control unit for transmitting information, as new content information, about a content represented by content data transmitted by the content transmission control unit to a user apparatus of a user as a purchaser of the content,

wherein the user apparatus includes an owning information update control unit for, when receiving the new content information, adding a content represented by the new content information as a purchased content to the owned content information.

26. The user apparatus according to claim 22,

wherein the owning information transmission control unit transmits the owned content information to a content output apparatus upon detection of the content output apparatus capable of wireless communication with the user apparatus.

27. A content delivery apparatus used for an information communication system including:

a content output apparatus capable of outputting a content represented by content data stored in a content storage device, the content output apparatus including a content purchase control unit for, when a user requests to purchase a content, transmitting a purchase request for content data along with purchaser information capable of specifying a user as a purchaser to a content delivery apparatus and storing content data received from the content delivery apparatus in a content storage device and a content supplement control unit for, when the content storage device does not store content data for a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication and the content being already purchased by a user of the user apparatus, transmitting a request to transmit unstored content data along with owner information capable of specifying a user of the user apparatus to the content delivery apparatus and storing content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device;

a content delivery apparatus for delivering content data to the content output apparatus; and

a user apparatus carried by a user using the content output apparatus, the user apparatus including an owning information storage device for storing owned content information as list information about a content already purchased by a user and an owning information transmission control unit for transmitting the owned content information to a content output apparatus capable of wireless communication,

wherein the content delivery apparatus comprises;

a content transmission control unit for, when receiving a purchase request for content data from the content output apparatus, storing purchase information about a content as a purchase history of a user specified based on purchaser information received with the purchase request and transmitting the content data to a requesting content output apparatus; and

a content retransmission control unit for, when receiving a transmission request for content data from the content output apparatus, transmitting the content data to a requesting content output apparatus on condition that purchase information about the content is stored as a purchase history of a user specified based on owner information received with the transmission request.

28. The content delivery apparatus according to claim 27,

wherein the content delivery apparatus includes a purchase information notification control unit for transmitting information, as new content information, about a content represented by content data transmitted by the content transmission control unit to a user apparatus of a user as a purchaser of the content, and

wherein the user apparatus includes an owning information update control unit for, when receiving the new content information, adding a content represented by the new content information as a purchased content to the owned content information.

29. The content delivery apparatus according to claim 27,

wherein, when the content storage device does not store content data for a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus and the user apparatus does not belong to a registered user, the content supplement control unit of the content output apparatus transmits the owner information and a transmission request for limited content data capable of outputting an unstored content under a limited condition to the content delivery apparatus and stores limited content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device, and

wherein the content delivery apparatus includes a limited content transmission control unit for, when receiving a transmission request for limited content data from the content output apparatus, transmitting the limited content data to a requesting content output apparatus on condition that purchase information about the content is stored as a purchase history of a user specified based on owner information received with the transmission request.

30. A method for controlling a content output apparatus used for an information communication system,

the information communication system including:

a content output apparatus capable of outputting a content represented by content data stored in a content storage device;

a content delivery apparatus for delivering content data to the content output apparatus, the content delivery apparatus including a content transmission control unit for, when receiving a purchase request for content data from the content output apparatus, storing purchase information about a content as a purchase history of a user specified based on purchaser information received with the purchase request and transmitting the content data to a requesting content output apparatus and a content retransmission control unit for, when receiving a transmission request for content data from the content output apparatus, transmitting the content data to a requesting content output apparatus on condition that purchase information about the content is stored as a purchase history of a user specified based on owner information received with the transmission request; and

a user apparatus carried by a user using the content output apparatus, the user apparatus including an owning information storage device for storing owned content information as list information about a content already purchased by a user and an owning information transmission control unit for transmitting the owned content information to a content output apparatus capable of wireless communication,

the method comprising;

transmitting, when a user requests to purchase a content, a purchase request for content data along with purchaser information capable of specifying a user as a purchaser to the content delivery apparatus and storing content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device; and

transmitting, when the content storage device does not store content data for a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication with the content output apparatus, a request to transmit unstored content data along with owner information capable of specifying a user of the user apparatus to the content delivery apparatus and storing content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device.

33. A computer readable medium comprising instructions being executed by a computer, the instructions including the method for controlling the content output apparatus according to claim 30, the method being computer-implemented.

31. A method for controlling a user apparatus used for an information communication system,

the information communication system including:

a content output apparatus capable of outputting a content represented by content data stored in a content storage device, the content output apparatus including a content purchase control unit for, when a user requests to purchase a content, transmitting a purchase request for content data along with purchaser information capable of specifying a user as a purchaser to a content delivery apparatus and storing content data received from the content delivery apparatus in a content storage device and a content supplement control unit for, when the content storage device does not store content data for a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication and the content being already purchased by a user of the user apparatus, transmitting a request to transmit unstored content data along with owner information capable of specifying a user of the user apparatus to the content delivery apparatus and storing content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device;

a content delivery apparatus for delivering content data to the content output apparatus, the content delivery apparatus including a content transmission control unit for, when receiving a purchase request for content data from the content output apparatus, storing purchase information about a content as a purchase history of a user specified based on purchaser information received with the purchase request and transmitting the content data to a requesting content output apparatus and a content retransmission control unit for, when receiving a transmission request for content data from the content output apparatus, transmitting the content data to a requesting content output apparatus on condition that purchase information about the content is stored as a purchase history of a user specified based on owner information received with the transmission request; and

a user apparatus carried by a user using the content output apparatus, the user apparatus including an owning information storage device for storing owned content information as list information about a content already purchased by a user,

the method comprising;

transmitting the owned content information to a content output apparatus capable of wireless communication with the user apparatus.

34. A computer readable medium comprising instructions being executed by a computer, the instructions including the method for controlling the user apparatus according to claim 31, the method being computer-implemented.

32. A method for controlling a content delivery apparatus used for an information communication system,

the information communication system including:

a content output apparatus capable of outputting a content represented by content data stored in a content storage device, the content output apparatus including a content purchase control unit for, when a user requests to purchase a content, transmitting a purchase request for content data along with purchaser information capable of specifying a user as a purchaser to a content delivery apparatus and storing content data received from the content delivery apparatus in a content storage device and a content supplement control unit for, when the content storage device does not store content data for a content specified based on owned content information received from a user apparatus capable of wireless communication and the content being already purchased by a user of the user apparatus, transmitting a request to transmit unstored content data along with owner information capable of specifying a user of the user apparatus to the content delivery apparatus and storing content data received from the content delivery apparatus in the content storage device;

a content delivery apparatus for delivering content data to the content output apparatus; and

a user apparatus carried by a user using the content output apparatus, the user apparatus including an owning information storage device for storing owned content information as list information about a content already purchased by a user and an owning information transmission control unit for transmitting the owned content information to a content output apparatus capable of wireless communication,

the method comprising;

storing, when receiving a purchase request for content data from the content output apparatus, purchase information about a content as a purchase history of a user specified based on purchaser information received with the purchase request and transmitting the content data to a requesting content output apparatus; and

transmitting, when receiving a transmission request for content data from the content output apparatus, the content data to a requesting content output apparatus on condition that purchase information about the content is stored as a purchase history of a user specified based on owner information received with the transmission request.

35. A computer readable medium comprising instructions being executed by a computer, the instructions including the method for controlling the content delivery apparatus according to claim 32, the method being computer-implemented.