Information processing apparatus and method, information processing system and program providing medium

• US 6,405,249 B1
• Filed: 01/11/1999
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Koichi, Ueno, Hiroshi, Naito, Taketo
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US09/228,135
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/202, 709/224, 709/227, 707/1, 707/200, 345/330, 345/349, 345/355
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics

Abstract

A terminal has a storage means for storing identification information, a transmitting means for transmitting the identification information stored in the storage means to a server, and a receiving means for receiving the identification information transmitted from the server. If no identification information is stored in the storage means, the terminal transmits information thereof to the server. The terminal receives identification information corresponding to predetermined information transmitted from the server in response to the information indicating that no identification information is stored in the storage means and stores the identification information received by the receiving means into the storage means. When an access is made from the terminal without accompanying identification information, the server generates identification information corresponding to predetermined information and registers the generated identification information to be provided to the terminal.

Consequently, the user can received predetermined services from the server without inputting user identification information into the terminal.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a storage control means for storing identification information that identifies said information processing apparatus as a source of information into a storage means and for retrieving said identification information therefrom;

a transmitting means for transmitting said identification information retrieved by said storage control means from said storage means to a server after connection to said server when said identification information has been stored in said storage means and for transmitting an indication that no identification information has been stored in the storage means when none is available for retrieval; and

a receiving means for receiving a server generated said identification information from said server when said indication that no identification information has been stored in said storage means is transmitted by the transmitting means to said server, said receiving means provides said server generated identification information to said storage control means for storage in the storage means as said identification information.

2. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprises:

an event information generating means for generating event information for executing predetermined processing;

wherein said event information is also transmitted to said server through said transmitting means.

3. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

connecting said information processing apparatus to a server based upon a request made by said information processing apparatus;

checking if identification information has been stored in a store associated with the information processing apparatus that identifies the information processing apparatus as a source of information;

transmitting said identification information after retrieving said identification information from the store or transmitting information indicating that no identification information has been stored in said store to said server;

receiving server provided identification information from said server in response to said information indicating that no identification information has been stored; and

storing said server provided identification information received in said receiving step in said store as said identification information.

4. A program providing medium for providing a computer program for controlling an information processing apparatus connected to a server,

said computer program comprising the steps of:

transmitting identification information that identifies said information processing apparatus as a source of information after retrieving said identification information from the store or transmitting information indicating that no identification information has been stored in said store to said server;

receiving server provided identification information from said server in response to said information indicating that no identification information has been stored; and

storing said server provided identification information received in said receiving step in said store.

5. An information processing system having a terminal for providing identification information for identifying said terminal as a source of information and a server connected to said terminal through a network,

said terminal comprising:

a storage control means for storing said identification information into a storage means and for retrieving said identification information therefrom;

a transmitting means for transmitting said identification information retrieved by said storage control means from said storage means when said identification information has been stored in said storage means and for transmitting an indication that no identification information has been stored in the storage means when none is available for retrieval; and

a receiving means for receiving a server generated said identification information transmitted from said server when said indication that no identification information has been stored in said storage means is transmitted by said transmitting means;

wherein the storage control means stores said server generated identification information received by said receiving means into said storage means;

said server comprising;

a generating means for generating, when access is made from said terminal without said identification information accompanying said access, said identification information;

a registering means for registering said identification information received from said generating means; and

a providing means for providing said identification information from said generating means to said receiving means in said terminal.

6. The information processing system as claimed in claim 5, said terminal further comprises:

an event information generating means for generating event information for executing predetermined processing;

wherein said event information is also transmitted to said server through said transmitting means.

7. The information processing system as claimed in claim 5, said server further comprises:

ajudging means for judging, when an access is made from any terminal that presents event information for predetermined processing to said server and said identification information, whether said identification information received from said terminal is registered in said registering means; and

a processing executing means for executing, if said identification information is found registered, processing corresponding to said event information.

8. An information processing method for an information processing system which has a terminal for providing identification information for identifying the terminal as a source of information and a server connected to said terminal through a network, comprising the steps of:

transmitting an access request from said terminal to said server along with any identification information found in storage at said terminal and when said identification information is not found in said storage, transmitting information indicating that no identification information is present in storage to said server;

generating identification information for the terminal when the information indicating no identification information is present in storage is received by the server with the access request;

registering said identification information generated by said generating step in said server; and

providing said identification information generated by said generating step to said terminal; and

said terminal receiving said identification information generated by said generating step and placing it in storage to send with further access requests.

9. A program providing medium for providing a computer program to be executed in an information processing system which has a terminal and a server connected to said terminal through a network, said computer program comprising the steps of:

transmitting an access request from said terminal to said server along with any identification information found in storage at said terminal and when said identification information is not found in said storage, transmitting information indicating that no identification information is present in storage to said server;

generating identification information for the terminal when the information indicating no identification information is present in storage is received by the server with the access request;

registering said identification information generated by said generating step in said server; and

providing said identification information generated by said generating step to said terminal; and

said terminal receiving said identification information generated by said generating step and placing it in storage to send with further access requests.