Information providing apparatus, server apparatus and information processing method

• US 6,658,401 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2001
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Utsumi, Yoshimasa, Yoneyama, Shigeyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Merilyn P
• Application Number:
  US09/854,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/6, 713/201, 705/39, 705/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

One network system according to the invention allows a party potentially disadvantaged by a third party'"'"'s right globally to solicit information for contesting the right in question and to pay a reward to individuals or organizations for offering the information for invalidation. The system ensures that legitimate rights are protected while corporations are defended against unfair accusations and frivolous lawsuits. Another network system according to the invention allows a party potentially disadvantaged by a third party'"'"'s right globally to recruit experts willing to take over proceedings on behalf of the disadvantaged party for invalidating the right in question, and to pay a contingent fee to those who successfully invalidated the right. The inventive system also ensures that legitimate rights are protected while corporations are defended against unfair accusations and frivolous lawsuits.

Claims

1. An information providing apparatus comprising:

first receiving means for receiving information entered by a registered party about a right held by a right holder, and information for charge processing with regard to said registered party;

storing means for storing the information which is entered by said registered party about said right held by said right holder and which is received by said first receiving means;

transmitting means for readably transmitting to the general public the information stored in said storing means with regard to said right held by said right holder;

second receiving means for receiving information which is transmitted by a reader for use in invalidating said right; and

charge processing means for effecting charge processing causing said registered party to pay a consideration to said reader for the information provided to invalidate said right, said charge processing being performed based on the information for charge processing with regard to said registered party.

2. An information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first receiving means and said second receiving means are constituted by a single receiving part.

3. An information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storing means encrypts said information for charge processing with regard to said registered party upon storing said information.

4. An information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting means does not readably transmit the information about said registered party to the general public.

5. An information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said charge processing means charges said registered party a registration fee when said registered party enters the information about said right held by said right holder.

6. An information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if said registered party invalidates said right of said right holder by use of the information provided by said reader, then said charge processing means charges said registered party a contingent fee to be paid to said reader.

7. An information providing apparatus comprising:

first receiving means for receiving information entered by a registered party about a right held by a right holder, and information for charge processing with regard to said registered party;

storing means for storing the information which is entered by said registered party about said right held by said right holder and which is received by said first receiving means;

transmitting means for readably transmitting to the general public the information stored in said storing means with regard to said right held by said right holder;

second receiving means for receiving information which is transmitted by a reader as a token of willingness to invalidate said right; and

charge processing means which, if said reader invalidates said right, then effects charge processing causing said registered party to compensate said reader for the invalidation of said right.

8. An information providing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first receiving means and said second receiving means are constituted by a single receiving part.

9. An information providing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said storing means encrypts said information for charge processing with regard to said registered party upon storing said information.

10. An information providing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said transmitting means does not readably transmit the information about said registered party to the general public.

11. An information providing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said charge processing means charges said registered party a registration fee when said registered party enters the information about said right held by said right holder.

12. A server apparatus for disclosing information entered by a registered party to the general public in order to solicit information from readers, said server apparatus comprising:

storing means for storing information entered by said registered party about a right held by a right holder;

transmitting means for readably transmitting to the general public the information stored in said storing means with regard to said right held by said right holder;

receiving means for receiving information which is transmitted by a reader for use in invalidating said right;

transferring means for transferring the information which is received by said receiving means from said reader, to said registered party for use in invalidating said right; and

notifying means which, if said registered party receives the information for invalidating said right, then notifies a charge processing system to make said registered party pay a consideration to said reader for the information provided by said reader.

13. A server apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said transmitting means, said transferring means and said notifying means are constituted by a single transmitting part.

14. A server apparatus for disclosing information entered by a registered party to the general public in order to solicit information from readers, said server apparatus comprising:

storing means for storing information entered by said registered party about a right held by a right holder;

transmitting means for readably transmitting to the general public the information stored in said storing means with regard to said right held by said right holder;

receiving means for receiving information which is transmitted by a reader as a token of willingness to invalidate said right; and

notifying means which, if said reader invalidates said right, then notifies a charge processing system to make said registered party pay a consideration to said reader for the invalidation of said right.

15. A server apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said transmitting means and said notifying means are constituted by a single transmitting part.

16. An information processing method for soliciting readers to provide information about a right which is held by a right holder and which is entered into a server by a registered party, the method comprising the steps of:

firstly receiving from a reader the information about said right entered into said server by said registered party;

transferring to said registered party the information received in said first receiving step with regard to said right;

if said right is invalidated by use of the transferred information about said right, then secondly receiving a charge processing order from said registered party; and

notifying a charge processing system to make said registered party pay a consideration to said reader based on said charge processing order received in said second receiving step.

17. An information processing method for soliciting readers to furnish tokens of willingness to invalidate a right which is held by a right holder and which is entered into a server by a registered party, the method comprising the steps of:

firstly receiving information which is transmitted by a reader as a token of willingness to invalidate said right;

transferring to said registered party the information received in said first receiving step;

if said reader invalidates said right, then secondly receiving a charge processing order from said registered party; and

notifying a charge processing system to make said registered party pay a consideration to said reader based on said charge processing order received in said second receiving step.