SERVICE PROVIDING SYSTEM

• US 20100262364A1
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Kiyokazu
• Granted Patent: US 8,640,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA

Abstract

To expand the after-sales services offered for a product purchased by a user, a service server that provides services accesses a specified navigation system, which is the product purchased by the user, using a device ID that is uniquely assigned to the navigation system, and then transmits service information to the specified navigation system. In other words, the service server actively accesses a navigation system, which is fundamentally one of countless terminal apparatuses on a communication network, and provides service information to that navigation system. By operating in this way, a great variety of services can be provided whenever appropriate.

Claims

1. A service providing method comprising:

transmitting, from a computer device to an authentication server via an access communication network, a request for information on a present position of an electronic appliance operable to generate present position information, wherein the electronic appliance is equipped with a wireless communication function and the computer device is equipped with a communication function;

wherein the request for information on a present position is routed to the authentication server via the access communication network with a computer device identifier, wherein the computer device identifier is generated using information identifying the computer device included in the request for information on a present position and information identifying a path on which the request for information on a present position is transmitted from the computer device;

transmitting the request for information on a present position, from the authentication server over a wireless communication network to the electronic appliance, when the authentication server judges, using the computer device identifier, that the request for information on a present position is authentic; and

receiving at the computer device present position information transmitted from the electronic appliance via the wireless communication network, wherein the present position information is generated at the electronic appliance responsive to the request for information on a present position from the authentication server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer device identifier is generated using information identifying a user included with the request for information on a present position from the computer device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer device identifier is generated by means on the access communication network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication server judges that the request for information for a present position is authentic by comparing the computer device identifier with information associated with the electronic appliance.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the information identifying the electronic appliance is stored in a database of the authentication server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the present position information is transmitted to the computer device via the authentication server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication server provides a service for supplying the computer device with the present position information from the electronic appliance responsive to the transmitting of the request for information on a present position from the computer device.

8. A service providing apparatus comprising:

an authentication server to transmit, over a wireless communication network, to an electronic appliance operable to generate present position information, a request for information on a present position from a computer device, when the authentication server judges, using a computer device identifier, that the request for information on a present position is authentic,

wherein the request for information on a present position is routed to the authentication server via an access communication network with the computer device identifier, the computer device identifier being generated using information identifying the computer device included in the request for information on a present position and information identifying a path on which the request for information on a present position is transmitted from the computer device, and

wherein the present position information is generated at the electronic appliance and transmitted to the computer device, responsive to the request for information on a present position from the authentication server.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the computer device identifier is generated using information identifying a user included with the request for information on a present position from the computer device.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the computer device identifier is generated by means on the access communication network.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the authentication server judges that the request for information for a present position is authentic by comparing the computer device identifier with information associated with the electronic appliance.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the information identifying the electronic appliance is stored in a database of the authentication server.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the present position information is transmitted to the computer device via the authentication server.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the authentication server provides a service for transmitting the request for information on a present position from, and receiving the present position information at, the computer device.

15. A navigation device comprising:

a wireless communication terminal operable to transmit and receive information over a wireless communication network; and

a control unit including a processor, wherein the processor is operable to use service information received at the wireless communication terminal from a service providing system to realize at the navigation device a predetermined service provided by the service providing system,

wherein the service providing system has functions for providing the predetermined service including;

transmitting, from a computer device to an authentication server via an access communication network, a request for information on a present position of the navigation device, wherein the request for information on a present position is routed to the authentication server via the access communication network with a computer device identifier, wherein the computer device identifier is generated using information identifying the computer device included in the request for information on a present position and information identifying a path on which the request for information on a present position is transmitted from the computer device;

receiving at the navigation device the request for information on a present position transmitted over a wireless communication network from the authentication server, when the authentication server judges, using the computer device identifier, that the request for information on a present position is authentic; and

transmitting from the navigation device via the wireless communication network to the computer device present position information, wherein the present position information is generated responsive to the request for information on a present position from the authentication server.

16. The navigation device of claim 15, wherein the computer device identifier is generated using information identifying a user included with the request for information on a present position from the computer device.

17. The navigation device of claim 15, wherein the computer device identifier is generated by means on the access communication network.

18. The navigation device of claim 15, wherein the authentication server judges that the request for information for a present position is authentic by comparing the computer device identifier with information associated with the electronic appliance.

19. The navigation device of claim 18, wherein the information identifying the electronic appliance is stored in a database of the authentication server.

20. The navigation device of claim 15, wherein the present position information is transmitted to the computer device via the authentication server.

21. The navigation device of claim 15, wherein the authentication server provides a service for supplying the computer device with the present position information from the electronic appliance responsive to the transmitting of the request for information on a present position from the computer device.