Computer system

• US 6,538,761 B1
• Filed: 10/16/1998
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Otsuka, Satoshi, Yokono, Shigeru, Misawa, Seiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): WALLERSON, MARK E
• Application Number:
  US09/174,290
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.5, 358/1.11, 358/1.12, 358/1.13, 358/1.14, 358/1.15, 358/1.2, 358/1.16, 358/1.17, 358/1.18
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices

Abstract

A computer system which can be freely used by many and unspecified persons. A recording medium is loaded in a computer terminal (public terminal), and use condition confirmation processing is performed by using information recorded on the medium. Use of the public terminal for various processes is allowed to be started according to a result of the use condition confirmation processing. Communication of information necessary for use condition confirmation processing with respect to use of the public terminal or for one of the various processes executed as use of the public terminal can be performed between the public terminal and a server system.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a computer terminal;

a server system communicably connected to said computer terminal; and

a recording medium detachably loaded in said computer terminal to be used for recording information and reproducing information,

said computer terminal including;

condition confirmation means for performing conditional use confirmation for use of the processing terminal using information recorded on said recording medium loaded, and control means for enabling use of each of a plurality of different processes according to a result of the confirmation processing performed by said condition confirmation means, said control means executing communication with said server system of information necessary for the condition confirmation processing with respect to use of said computer terminal and one of the various processes executed as use of said computer terminal.

2. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein discrimination code information which enables said recording medium to be recognized as a recording medium adapted to the computer system is recorded on said recording medium, and said use condition confirmation means performs the use condition confirmation processing based on the discrimination code information.

3. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein user identification information freely set by a user is recorded on said recording medium, and said use condition confirmation means performs the use condition confirmation processing based on the user identification information.

4. A computer system according to claim 3, wherein said computer terminal further includes recording means for recording information input by the user as said user identification information on the loaded recording medium.

5. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein one of items of serial number information respectively provided for a plurality of recording mediums adapted to the downloading system is recorded on said recording medium, and said use condition confirmation means performs the use condition confirmation processing based on said serial number information.

6. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein serial number information to be provided on each of recording mediums adapted to the computer system is recorded on said recording medium, and an area usable for recording user identification information freely set by a user is defined on said recording medium,

wherein user identification information freely set by users, serial number information of the recording medium used by each of the users and password information freely set by each of the users are registered as user collation information in said server system, and

wherein said use condition confirmation means performs the use condition confirmation processing based on password information input by the user, the serial number information and the user identification information recorded on said recording medium, and the user collation information registered in said server system.

7. A computer system according to claim 6, wherein said use condition confirmation means performs the use condition confirmation processing by communicating serial number information, user identification information and password information between said computer terminal and said server system, the communication of serial number information, user identification information and password information being executed by being separated into at least two communications.

8. A computer system according to claim 6, wherein payment information of payment methods for the users is registered in said server system by being related to the user collation information, and

wherein said computer terminal communicates fee information to said server system, and said server system performs fee charging management with respect to the users by using the fee information and the payment information.

9. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said computer terminal further includes fee collection means for collecting a fee paid in currency or with a currency substitute card.

10. A computer system according to claim 1, further comprising internal storage means for storing application software, wherein one of the various processes is executed by using at least one of application software recorded on the loaded recording medium and application software stored in said internal storage means, and data obtained as a result of execution of the process is recorded on the loaded medium.

11. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said computer terminal includes internal storage means for storing at least one of application software and contents of media, and can download information stored in said internal storage means to the loaded recording medium.

12. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said server system comprises a contents server which provides contents of media, and

wherein said computer terminal can download, to the loaded recording medium, information provided as a content from said contents server.

13. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said server system comprises an application server which provides application software, and

wherein said computer terminal can download, to the loaded recording medium, application software provided from said application server.

14. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said computer terminal records, on the loaded recording medium, information about some of the processes used by a user, the information being recorded as use record information.

15. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said computer terminal records, on the loaded recording medium, information about fees charged for some of the processes used by a user, the information being record as fee record information.

16. A computer system according to claim 1, further comprising input means for enabling a user to input information and change means for changing said input means between a usable state and an unusable state,

said change means setting said input means in the usable state after said recording medium has been loaded in said computer terminal,

said change means setting said input means in the unusable state when use of said computer terminal is finished.

17. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said computer terminal has a public telephone function and is connected to a public telephone network, said computer terminal being usable as a public telephone regardless of whether or not the recording medium is loaded.

18. A computer apparatus comprising:

recording medium drive means capable of reading information from a detachable recording medium and writing information to the detachable recording medium;

condition confirmation means for performing conditional use confirmation processing for use of the terminal using information recorded on the recording medium when the recording medium is loaded to said drive means; and

control means for enabling use of the computer apparatus according to a result of the confirmation processing, for forming record information according to processing executed in the computer apparatus, and for recording the record information on the loaded recording medium with said recording medium drive means.

19. A computer apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising communication means communicably connected to a server system,

wherein communication of: information necessary for at least one of the use condition confirmation processing and various processes executed as use of the computer apparatus is executed between the computer apparatus and said server system through said communication means.

20. A computer apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said use condition confirmation means performs, as the use condition confirmation processing, ascertainment as to whether discrimination code information for enabling the loaded recording medium to be recognized as a recording medium corresponding to the computer apparatus is recorded on the loaded recording medium.

21. A computer apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said use condition confirmation means performs, as the use condition confirmation processing, the process of asking a user to input personal identification number information coinciding with personal identification number information recorded on the loaded recording medium, and performing collation between personal identification number information input by the user and the personal identification number information on the loaded recording medium.

22. A computer apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said use condition confirmation means performs, as the use condition confirmation processing, collation processing using serial number information recorded on the loaded recording medium.

23. A computer apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising internal storage means for storing application software,

wherein said control means can execute each of various processes by using application software recorded on the loaded recording medium and application software recorded in said internal storage means, and said control means forms record information about the application software used for some of the processes executed, and records the record information on the loaded recording medium with said drive means.

24. A computer apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising internal storage means for storing application software,

wherein said control means can execute a process for at least one of forming a data file and editing a data file by using application software recorded on the loaded recording medium and application software recorded in said internal storage means, and said control means forms record information about the formed or edited file, and records the record information on the loaded recording medium with said drive means.

25. A computer apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising internal memory,

wherein said control means can download information stored in said internal memory to the loaded recording medium, and said control means forms record information about the downloading, and records the record information on the loaded recording medium with said drive means.

26. A computer apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said server system comprises a contents server which can communicate with the computer apparatus and which provides contents of media, and

wherein said control means can receive, with said communication means, information as a content of a medium provided from said contents server and can download the received content to the loaded recording medium with said drive means, and said control means forms record information about the downloading and records the record information with said drive means.

27. A computer apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said server system comprises an application server which can communicate with the computer apparatus and which provides application software, and

wherein said control means can receive, with said communication means, application software provided from said contents server and can download the received application software to the loaded recording medium with said drive means, and said control means forms record information about the downloading and records the record information with said drive means.

28. A computer system according to claim 18, wherein said control means forms record information as time information about use of the computer apparatus or some of various processes, and records the record information on the loaded recording medium with said drive means.

29. A computer system according to claim 26, wherein said control means forms record information about a fee charged for downloading of the content.

30. A computer system according to claim 27, wherein said control means forms record information about a fee charged for downloading of the application software.

31. A computer apparatus comprising:

recording medium drive means for reading information from a detachable recording medium and for writing information to the detachable recording medium;

condition confirmation means for performing conditional use confirmation processing for use of the terminal using information recorded on the recording medium when the recording medium is loaded to said drive means;

fee collection means for performing fee collection processing; and

control means for enabling use of the computer apparatus according to a result of the confirmation processing performed by said condition confirmation means, and for collecting a fee according to conditions of use of the computer apparatus with said fee collection means.

32. A computer apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said use condition confirmation means performs, as the use condition confirmation processing, ascertainment as to whether discrimination code information for enabling the loaded recording medium to be recognized as a recording medium corresponding to the computer apparatus is recorded on the loaded recording medium.

33. A computer apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said use condition confirmation means performs, as the use condition confirmation processing, the process of asking a user to input personal identification number information coinciding with personal identification number information recorded on the loaded recording medium, and performing collation between personal identification number information input by the user and the personal identification number information on the loaded recording medium.

34. A computer apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said use condition confirmation means performs, as the use condition confirmation processing, collation processing using serial number information recorded on the loaded recording medium.

35. A computer apparatus comprising:

recording medium drive means for reading information from a detachable recording medium and for writing information to the detachable recording medium;

condition confirmation means for performing conditional use confirmation processing for using the terminal using information recorded on the recording medium when the recording medium is loaded to said drive means;

fee collection means for performing fee collection processing;

communication means for performing communication with an external server system; and

control means for enabling use of the computer apparatus according to a result of the confirmation processing performed by said condition confirmation means, and for collecting a fee according to conditions of use of the computer apparatus with said fee collection means.

36. A computer apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said control means can make said communication means execute communication of information necessary for at least one of the use condition confirmation processing and various processes executed as use of the computer apparatus.

37. A computer apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said fee collection means collects a fee paid in currency or with a currency substitute card.

38. A computer apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said use condition confirmation means transmits information about fee charging to said server system through said communication means.

39. A computer apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said use condition confirmation means performs, as the use condition confirmation processing, ascertainment as to whether discrimination code information for enabling the loaded recording medium to be recognized as a recording medium corresponding to the computer apparatus is recorded on the loaded recording medium.

40. A computer apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said use condition confirmation means performs, as the use condition confirmation processing, the process of asking a user to input personal identification number information coinciding with personal identification number information recorded on the loaded recording medium, and performing collation between personal identification number information input by the user and the personal identification number information on the loaded recording medium.

41. A computer apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said use condition confirmation means performs, as the use condition confirmation processing, collation processing using serial number information recorded on the loaded recording medium.

42. A computer apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said use condition confirmation means performs, as the use condition confirmation processing, communication with said server system of information necessary for collation through said communication means, and performs use condition confirmation according to a result of collation of the communicated information.

43. A computer apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said server system comprises a contents server which can communicate with the computer apparatus and which provides contents of media, and

wherein said control means can receive, with said communication means, information as a content of a medium provided from said contents server and can download the received content to the loaded recording medium with said drive means, and said control means makes said fee collection means collect a fee charged for downloading of the content.

44. A computer apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said server system comprises an application server which can communicate with the computer apparatus and which provides application software, and

wherein said control means can receive, with said communication means, application software provided from said contents server and can download the received application software to the loaded recording medium with said drive means, and said control means makes said fee collection means collect a fee charged for downloading of the application software.