Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and transmitting medium

• US 6,651,090 B1
• Filed: 03/10/2000
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Itabashi, Tatsuo, Yoshida, Kimiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/522,636
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/203, 709/229, 709/202, 713/200, 713/201, 707/10, 705/14
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 : Privileged access

Abstract

Personal information of a user is provided to an information provider from any location, through a simple apparatus, and with reliability. Personal information is pre-stored in a user profile database of a server. When the user accesses a service provider device from a terminal device through the server and the Internet, the service provider device requests the personal information of that user. The server reads the requested personal information from the user profile database and transfers the personal information to the service provider device. This novel arrangement makes it unnecessary for the user to input the personal information.

Claims

1. A method of selectively providing personal information in online transactions, comprising the steps of:

storing personal information of a user;

receiving an online transaction request with a service provider from said user;

transmitting an indication of said online transaction request to said service provider;

receiving a request for personal information related to said requested online transaction from said service provider;

authenticating the request for personal information with said user; and

transmitting the requested personal information to said service provider if said user authenticates said request for personal information.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

receiving said personal information from said user; and

storing said personal information in a database.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said personal information stored in said database is retrieved after authentication from the corresponding user of said personal information.

4. The method of claim 3 further including the step of determining whether a user authorization is necessary to transmit the requested personal information, wherein when the user authorization is necessary, requesting authorization from said user for transmission of the requested personal information.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein when said user does not grant authorization to transmit said requested personal information to said service provider in response to the authorization request step, transmitting a corresponding message to said service provider and terminating said online transaction request.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said personal information includes one or more of a user billing information, a user delivery information, a user account information, a user identification information, a user credit history information, and a user online transaction history information.

7. The method of claim 1 further including the step of generating a user interface corresponding to the user for communication with said service provider during said online transaction.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said user interface is generated using Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said user interface includes one or more of a still image, an animated image, a text communication, and a combined text and image, for display on a user terminal for communication with the service provider.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said user terminal includes one of a personal digital assistant, a personal handy-phone system (PHS), a PCS telephone, and a handheld communication device.

11. A method of selectively providing personal information in online transactions, comprising the steps of:

storing personal information of a user;

receiving an online transaction request with a service provider from a user terminal of said user;

transmitting an indication of said online transaction request to said service provider;

receiving a request for personal information related to said requested online transaction from said service provider; and

transmitting the requested personal information to said service provider.

12. The method of claim 11 further including the step of authenticating the request for personal information with said user and only when said user authenticates said request for personal information, transmitting the requested personal information to said service provider.

13. The method of claim 11 further including the step of generating a user interface and transmitting said user interface to said user terminal.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said user terminal is configured to support one or more of a PHS Internet Access Forum Standard (PIAFS) communication protocol, a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), and a Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of generating said user interface includes the step of translating data corresponding to said user interface into compatible format for communication with one or more service providers.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said user interface is generated using one or more of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Extensible Markup Language (XML).

17. The method of claim 11 wherein said personal information includes one or more of a user credit card information, a user billing address information, a user delivery address information, a user account information, a user identification information, a user credit history information, and a user online transaction history information.

18. A method of selectively providing personal information in online transactions, comprising the steps of:

storing personal information of a user in a user profile database, said personal information including an item and an attribute related to said item;

receiving an online transaction request with said service provider from a user terminal of said user;

transmitting an indication of said online transaction request to said service provider;

receiving a request for personal information related to said requested online transaction from said service provider; and

checking the attribute of said personal information requested by said service provider; and

providing the personal information as a result of said checked attribute to said service provider.

19. The method of claim 18 further including the step of authenticating the request for personal information with said user and only when said user authenticates said request for personal information, transmitting the requested personal information to said service provider.

20. The method of claim 18 further including the step of generating a user interface and transmitting said user interface to said user terminal.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said user terminal is configured to support one or more of a PHS Internet Access Forum Standard (PIAFS) communication protocol, a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), and a Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

22. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of generating said user interface includes the step of translating data corresponding to said user interface into compatible format for communication with one or more service providers.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein said user interface is generated using one or more of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Extensible Markup Language (XML).

24. The method of claim 18 wherein said personal information includes one or more of a user credit card information, a user billing address information, a user delivery address information, a user account information, a user identification information, a user credit history information, and a user online transaction history information.