Content Sharing System and Content Sharing Method
First Claim
1. A content sharing system for managing, by controlling distribution of contents toward user terminals from a content distributing apparatus for each group composed of a plurality of users, sharing of the respective contents in the group, the content sharing system comprising:
- a content distributing unit that distributes content data to the user terminal in accordance with a download request from the respective user terminals connected to the content distributing apparatus via the communication network;
a storage unit that stores a download history of a content via the user terminal by the respective users while being associated with user identification information and also stores identification of each of one or more groups to which the respective users belong while being associated with the user identification information;
a group determination unit that determines a group to which a user accessing via the user terminal belongs; and
a sharing control unit that determines whether a content already primarily downloaded by another user belonging to the determined group exists on the basis of the download history, and permits secondary download of the content primarily downloaded by the another user to the accessing user terminal, upon existence of the content.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A content sharing system and a content sharing method of sharing contents following a free will of a user through belonging to a plurality of groups are disclosed. Identification information on each of one or more groups to which respective users belong is stored while associating it with identification information on the users. A download history of a content via user terminals by respective users is stored while associating it with the identification information on the users. A group or groups to which a user accessing via a user terminal belongs is/are determined. Whether a content already primarily downloaded by another user belonging to the determined group(s) exists is determined based on the download history and identification information. If the content already primarily downloaded by the another user exists, secondary download to the user terminal accessing the above-mentioned content is permitted.
15 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A content sharing system for managing, by controlling distribution of contents toward user terminals from a content distributing apparatus for each group composed of a plurality of users, sharing of the respective contents in the group, the content sharing system comprising:
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a content distributing unit that distributes content data to the user terminal in accordance with a download request from the respective user terminals connected to the content distributing apparatus via the communication network; a storage unit that stores a download history of a content via the user terminal by the respective users while being associated with user identification information and also stores identification of each of one or more groups to which the respective users belong while being associated with the user identification information; a group determination unit that determines a group to which a user accessing via the user terminal belongs; and a sharing control unit that determines whether a content already primarily downloaded by another user belonging to the determined group exists on the basis of the download history, and permits secondary download of the content primarily downloaded by the another user to the accessing user terminal, upon existence of the content. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A content sharing method of managing, by controlling distribution of contents toward user terminals from a content distributing apparatus for each group composed of a plurality of users, sharing of the respective contents in the group, the content sharing method comprising the steps of:
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storing a download history of a content via a user terminal by the respective users while being associated with user identification information; storing identification information on each of one or more groups to which the respective users belong while being associated with the user identification information; determining a group to which a user accessing via the user terminal connected to the content distributing apparatus via the communication network belongs; determining whether a content already primarily downloaded by another user belonging to the determined group exists on the basis of the download history; permitting secondary download of the content primarily downloaded by the another user to the accessing user terminal, upon existence of the content; and distributing content data on the content where the secondary download is permitted to the user terminal in accordance with a download request from the user terminal. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for instructing a computer to execute a content sharing method of managing, by controlling distribution of contents toward user terminals from a content distributing apparatus for each group composed of a plurality of users, sharing of the respective contents in the group, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing a download history of a content via a user terminal by the respective users while being associated with user identification information; storing identification information on each of one or more groups to which the respective users belong while being associated with the user identification information; determining a group to which a user accessing via the user terminal connected to the content distributing apparatus via the communication network belongs; determining a whether a content already primarily downloaded by another user belonging to the determined group exists on the basis of the download history; permitting secondary download of the content primarily downloaded by the another user to the user terminal accessing the content, upon existence of the content; and distributing content data on the content where the secondary download is permitted to the user terminal in accordance with a download request from the user terminal.
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Specification