Information providing apparatus for server and computer-readable recording medium storing information providing program for server

• US 6,457,046 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1997
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Munakata, Hidemi
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thompson, Marc D.
• Application Number:
  US09/000,883
• Time in Patent Office: 1,729 Days
• Field of Search: 345/338, 709/300, 709/221, 709/224, 709/223, 709/200, 709/203, 709/211, 709/212, 709/216, 709/217, 709/219, 709/225, 709/229, 709/227, 709/213, 413/201, 413/202
• US Class Current: 709/216
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An information providing apparatus for a server is capable of allowing terminals with no large-capacity memory to store and use a large amount of information and also of permitting users to use application programs individually. The information providing apparatus has a user'"'"'s individual information memory for storing therein user'"'"'s individual information in areas assigned to respective users. The user'"'"'s individual information is stored into the user'"'"'s individual information memory by a contents storage unit. The user'"'"'s individual information can be processed by a contents customizing unit, and managing information which allows users to manage the user'"'"'s individual information with ease is added to the user'"'"'s individual information by a managing information manipulating unit. A pattern memory stores pattern application programs, which can be processed and stored by the contents customizing unit for use as user'"'"'s individual programs. A contents usage control unit reads stored programs, copies the read programs to a displayable/executable area managed by the server, and then executes the programs.

Claims

1. A server connected to user terminals, the server comprising:

a memory having a plurality of user individual memories assigned to each user, each of said user'"'"'s individual memory storing user information, including program patterns, used by the user, wherein the user'"'"'s individual memory serves as an external memory device of the user'"'"'s terminal;

content storage means for storing the user information into a user'"'"'s individual memory;

managing information manipulating means for establishing user management information, which comprises user identification and password information, and for associating the user information, which is stored into the user'"'"'s individual memory by said contents storage means, with the user management information;

content usage control means for reading and processing for the user the user information stored in the user'"'"'s individual memory according to the user management information; and

contents customizing means for modifying or generating the user information depending on the manner in which the user uses the user information.

2. A server according to claim 1, wherein said contents usage control means comprises means for reading the user information from a user'"'"'s individual memory and copying the read user information to a displayable/executable area to place the user information under the management of the server, for using the user information.

3. The server according to claim 1, wherein a user'"'"'s individual memory includes programs for managing the user information together with at least the user identification and password information in a database.

4. The server according to claim 1, wherein said user management information includes a service identifier and a database type.

5. The server according to claim 1, wherein said user management information includes a flag indicating whether the user identification and password information is to be disclosed or not.

6. The server according to claim 1, wherein said user management information includes directory information.

7. A computable-readable recording medium storing an information providing program for a server, for controlling a computer to function as a user'"'"'s individual memory storing therein user'"'"'s individual information in areas assigned respectively to the users, content storage program storing information into the user'"'"'s individual memory, contents usage control means for reading the information stored in said user'"'"'s individual memory and using the read information, pattern memory means for storing a pattern application program for use as a user'"'"'s individual application program which can be read by a user and stored as user'"'"'s individual information into said user'"'"'s individual memory by said content storage program, and contents customizing program for modifying or newly generating the user'"'"'s individual information depending on the manner in which a user uses the user'"'"'s individual information, said content storage program including a managing information manipulating program establishing user management information, including user identification and password information, to manage the user'"'"'s individual information for the user when the user'"'"'s individual information is stored into said user'"'"'s individual memory by said content storage program.

8. A system comprising:

a plurality of terminals for use by a plurality of users; and

a server connected to the plurality of terminals, said server comprising;

a storage unit having a plurality of areas, each user being assigned an area, wherein the user'"'"'s assigned area serves as an external memory device of a terminal for use by a user; and

a processor that performs the following functions;

storing user information into the area assigned to the user;

establishing user management information, which comprises user identification and password information, to manage the user information for the user when the user information is stored in the area assigned to the user;

retrieving the user information for the user upon demand by the user and when the user information is a program loading the program to be executed for the user; and

modifying or generating the user information depending on the manner in which the user uses the user information.

9. A server responsible for serving a plurality of terminals of users, the server comprising:

a storage unit having a plurality of areas, each user being assigned an area for storing user information, including program patterns, used by the user, wherein the user'"'"'s assigned area serves as an external memory device of the user'"'"'s terminal;

a content storage function that receives information, including push information and application programs, on behalf of the user and stores the received information as the user information into the user'"'"'s area on the storage unit;

a managing information manipulating function for establishing user management information, which comprises user identification and password information, to manage the user information for the user when the user information is stored into the user'"'"'s area on the storage unit; and

a content usage control function that serves the user information to the user and when the requested information is an application program loading the application program for execution; and

a content customizing function modifying or generating the user information depending on the manner in which the user uses the user information.