Communication type information distribution system, information distribution server, and program

• US 20090204321A1
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Shinohara, Takehiro, Onishi, Keisuke
• Application Number:
  US11/630,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204321A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

There are provided a communication type information distribution system, an information distribution server, and a program capable of assuring profitability considering the cost required for creating a content to be provided to a mobile terminal and protecting the copyright. The information distribution server (40) provides a content menu to the mobile terminal (20) and links to a content server (50) by referencing the content link destination database to the content specification from the mobile terminal (20). The content server (50) requests a charging server (60) to perform settlement processing, obtain settlement approval, and distribute download information to the information distribution server. The information distribution server enables download of the specified content data from the content server to the mobile terminal by a download control unit. The mobile terminal adds a time stamp based on the system clock to the content data download and compares the current time of the system clock to the time stamp, thereby controlling the use period.

Claims

1. A communication type information distribution system which rewrites selectively used content at a mobile terminal, comprising:

an information distribution server that provides a content menu;

at least one content server that provides content data including a use period during which utilization of said content is allowed; and

a charging server that carries out settlement processing with regard to a request for downloading of content data;

said information distribution server including;

a content menu processing unit that provides a content menu to a mobile terminal;

a download control unit; and

a content link destination database (DB); and

links the mobile terminal to said content server by referencing said content link destination DB in accordance with a content specification from said mobile terminal;

said content server including a charging processing unit that requests settlement processing from said charging server with regard to a request for downloading of said specified content, and distributes download information to said information distribution server in accordance with settlement approval from said charging server;

said information distribution server including a download control unit linking said mobile terminal to the download URL of said content server to enable said specified content data to be downloaded, and

said mobile terminal applying to said downloaded content data a time stamp based on a system clock and controlling a period for utilization by comparing said system clock'"'"'s current time and said time stamp.

2. The communication type information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein any two of said information distribution server, content server and charging server are configured as an integrated server.

3. The communication type information distribution system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said mobile terminal possesses a global positioning system (GPS) processing unit and a navigation request unit, and said information distribution server further possesses a map DB and a route search unit and distributes map data together with data on a guidance route found via said route search unit in response to a navigation request from said mobile terminal.

4. The communication type information distribution system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said mobile terminal possesses a GPS processing unit and a navigation request unit, said information distribution server further possesses a map DB and a route search unit and distributes map data together with data on a guidance route found via said route search unit in response to a navigation request from said mobile terminal, and said content data is audio data for guiding along said guidance route.

5. An information distribution server constituting a component of a communication type information distribution system which rewrites selectively used content at a mobile terminal and includes said information distribution server that provides a content menu;

at least one content server that provides content data including a use period during which utilization of said content is allowed; and

a charging server that carries out charging processing with regard to a request for downloading of content data;

said information distribution server comprising;

a content menu processing unit that provides a content menu to a mobile terminal;

a content link destination database (DB); and

a download control unit that links said mobile terminal to the download URL of said content server to enable said specified content data to be downloaded;

said information distribution server linking said mobile terminal to said content server by referencing said content link destination DB in accordance with the content specification from said mobile terminal, and linking said mobile terminal, by means of said download control unit, to the download URL of said content server to enable said specified content data to be downloaded.

6. The information distribution server according to claim 5, wherein:

said information distribution server is a component of a communication type information distribution system which rewrites selectively used content at a mobile terminal possessing a global positioning system (GPS) processing unit and a navigation request unit and which comprises;

said information distribution server that provides a content menu;

at least one content server that provides content data including a use period during which utilization of said content is allowed; and

a charging server that carries out charging processing with regard to a request for downloading of content data;

said information distribution server possesses a map DB and a route search unit and distributes map data together with data on a guidance route found via said route search unit in response to a navigation request from said mobile terminal.

7. The information distribution server according to claim 5, wherein:

said information distribution server is a component of a communication type information distribution system which rewrites selectively used content at a mobile terminal possessing a GPS processing unit and a navigation request unit, and which comprises;

said information distribution server that provides a content menu;

at least one content server that provides content data including a use period during which utilization of said content is allowed; and

a charging server that carries out charging processing with regard to a request for downloading of content data;

said information distribution server possesses a map DB and a route search unit and distributes map data together with data on a guidance route found via said route search unit in response to a navigation request from said mobile terminal, and said content data is audio data for guiding along said guidance route.

8. The information distribution server according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein said information distribution server is integrated with said content server and/or charging server.

9. A program that enables a computer constituting an information distribution server, said information distribution server being a component of a communication type information distribution system which comprises:

said information distribution server that provides a content menu, at least one content server that provides content data including a use period during which utilization of a content is allowed, and a charging server that carries out charging processing with regard to a request for downloading of content data; and

which rewrites a selectively used content at a mobile terminal; and

said information distribution server including;

a content menu processing unit that provides a content menu to said mobile terminal, a content link destination database (DB), and a download control unit that links said mobile terminal to a download URL of said content server to enable said specified content data to be downloaded;

to execute the following processes;

linking to a content server by referencing said content link destination DB in accordance with a content specification from said mobile terminal; and

enabling, by means of said download control unit, specified content data to be downloaded from said content server to said mobile terminal.

10. A program that enables a computer constituting an information distribution server, said information distribution server being a component of a communication type information distribution system which comprises:

said information distribution server that provides a content menu, at least one content server that provides content data including a use period during which utilization of a content is allowed, and a charging server that carries out charging processing with regard to a request for downloading of content data; and

which rewrites a selectively used content at a mobile terminal possessing a global positioning system (GPS) processing unit and a navigation request unit; and

said information distribution server including;

a content menu processing unit that provides a content menu to said mobile terminal, a content link destination database (DB), a download control unit that links said mobile terminal to a download URL of said content server to enable said specified content data to be downloaded, a map database, and a route search unit;

to execute the following processes;

linking to a content server by referencing said content link destination DB in accordance with a content specification from said mobile terminal;

enabling, by means of said download control unit, specified content data to be downloaded from said content server to said mobile terminal;

searching for a route in response to a navigation request from said mobile terminal; and

distributing map data together with data on a guidance route found via said route search unit.