TERMINAL APPARATUS, CHARGING METHOD, AND CHARGING PROGRAM

• US 20100064304A1
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: KDDI Corporation
• Original Assignee: KDDI Corporation
• Inventors: Takishima, Yasuhiro, Ishizaki, Hiromi
• Application Number:
  US12/544,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20100064304A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4185 for payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The present invention provides a terminal apparatus that charges an appropriate amount of money according to the usage of individual users without using a network. A terminal apparatus reproduces content in response to a reproduction request from a user. The terminal apparatus includes a charging management unit that charges for the reproduction of the content and stores charging history as history information; a history information database that stores the history information in association with the reproduced content; and a removal determining unit that determines whether to remove the reproduced content from a charging target on the basis of the magnitude relationship between the standard price of the content charged for the reproduction and the sum of charges based on the history information. In this way, it is possible to charge an appropriate amount of money according to the usage of individual users and achieve a user-oriented charging process.

Claims

1. A terminal apparatus that reproduces content in response to a reproduction request from a user, comprising:

a charging management unit that charges for the reproduction of the content and stores charging history as history information;

a history information database that stores the history information in association with the reproduced content; and

a removal determining unit that determines whether to remove the reproduced content from a charging target on the basis of the magnitude relationship between the standard price of the content charged for the reproduction and the sum of charges based on the history information.

2. The terminal apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a charging target determining unit that determines whether the content requested to be reproduced is the charging target,

wherein, when it is determined that the content requested to be reproduced is not the charging target, the charging management unit does not charge for the reproduction of the content.

3. The terminal apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the charging management unit multiplies a specific coefficient to calculate a charge for reproducing the content, and

when it is determined that the content requested to be reproduced is not the charging target, the charging management unit calculates the charge using the specific coefficient as zero.

4. The terminal apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a payment determining unit that determines whether the content requested to be reproduced can be paid for; and

a reproduction control unit that controls the reproduction of the content on the basis of the payment determination result, wherein, when it is determined that the content requested to be reproduced cannot be paid for, the reproduction control unit does not reproduce the content requested to be reproduced.

5. The terminal apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a payment unit that pays the sum of charges based on the history information.

6. A charging method of charging for the viewing or listening to content, comprising the steps of:

charging for the reproduction of content requested to be reproduced by a user and storing charging history as history information;

determining whether to remove the reproduced content from a charging target on the basis of history information that is stored in association with the reproduced content, the magnitude relationship between the standard price of the content charged for the reproduction and the sum of charges based on the history information; and

using a terminal apparatus that reproduces the content requested to be reproduced by the user to charge for the reproduction of the content without using a network.

7. A charging program for charging for the viewing or listening to content that allows a terminal apparatus which reproduces content requested to be reproduced by a user to perform the processes of:

charging for the reproduction of the content requested to be reproduced by the user and storing charging history as history information; and

determining whether to remove the reproduced content from a charging target on the basis of history information that is stored in association with the reproduced content, the magnitude relationship between the standard price of the content charged for the reproduction and the sum of charges based on the history information,

wherein the terminal apparatus charges for the reproduction of the content without using a network.