System and method for distributing images to mobile phones

• US 6,782,419 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bandai Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Bandai Company Limited
• Inventors: Ishii, Fujio, Tobita, Naomi
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/771,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20020009987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/426, 455/566, 455/410, 709/203, 709/206, 709/217, 709/219, 709/225, 709/250, 719/311, 719/313, 719/328, 719/329
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• 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: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32776 using an interactive, user-operated device, e.g. a computer terminal, mobile telephone H04N1/32782, H04N1/32784 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0022 Selecting or switching between an image communication mode and a non-image communication mode H04N2201/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

In the storage of images to be disclosed, records corresponding to the number of persons authorized in disclosure are added to the database 15. The mail addresses of image destinations are respectively described to the mail address fields of the added records. Image storage destinations are respectively described to the storage destination addresses. An electronic mail that notifies an image destination of an image in storage is created. A storage destination is set to the created electronic mail. Then, the electronic mail is transmitted. When an image disclosure request is received from a mobile phone, the record in which the storage destination of a disclosure required image is described is retrieved. The user identifier described in the user identifier field of the retrieved record is verified against the user identifier of the disclosure requesting mobile phone. When two user identifiers coincides with each other, the image is read out from the storage destination and then is transmitted and disclosed to the mobile phone. When two user identifiers do not coincide with each other, non-permission in disclosure is sent to the mobile phone.

Claims

1. An image disclosure system wherein an image displayed in a predetermined programming language by a user is disclosed to a specific person, comprising:

a mobile communication network;

a plurality of mobile phones connected to said mobile communication network;

a gateway server connected to said plurality of mobile phones via said mobile communication network;

a network; and

a contents server connected to said gateway server via said network;

said plurality of mobile phones each including;

a display for displaying images;

means for transmitting an image disclosure to said contents server, said image disclosure request to which identification information on a disclosure requested image is added, and then downloading said image; and

an image controller for displaying said downloaded image to said display;

said gateway server including;

a user identifier table in which an intrinsic identifier and a user identifier paired with said intrinsic identifier is described in a one-to-one correspondence; and

means for receiving an image disclosure request from a mobile phone, retrieving a user identifier corresponding to the intrinsic identifier of said mobile phone from said user identifier table;

converting said intrinsic identifier of said mobile phone into a retrieved user identifier, and transmitting the image disclosure request from said mobile phone to said contents server;

said contents server including;

a memory for storing an image to be disclosed;

a database including records each being formed of an identification information field in which identification information for identifying an image to be disclosed is described and a user identifier field in which a user identifier is described;

means for creating identification information on an image to be disclosed;

data base updating means for adding records corresponding to the number of persons authorized in disclosure to said database and describing image identification information to the identification information field of each of said added records;

retrieving means for, when a mobile phone sends an image disclosure request, retrieving a record which has an identification information field in which image identification information added to a disclosure request is described; and

a disclosure controller for, when the user identifier of said disclosure requesting mobile phone coincides with a user identifier described on the identifier field of any one of said retrieved records, reading out a disclosure requested image out of said memory and then transmitting it to said mobile phone;

said disclosure controller for, when the user identifier of the disclosure requesting mobile phone does not coincide with user identifiers described on the identifier fields of said retrieved records and when there is a record of which a user identifier is not described on an identifier field, among said retrieved records, describing the user identifier of said disclosure requesting mobile phone in the identifier field of any one of records in which no user identifier is described and then reading out a disclosure requested image from said memory and then transmitting it to said mobile phone;

said disclosure controller for, when the user identifier of said disclosure requesting mobile phone does not coincide with the user identifiers described in the identifier fields of said retrieved records and when an user identifier is described in all the identifiers of said retrieved records, inhibiting image disclosure, without transmitting a disclosure requested image.

2. The image disclosure system defined in claim 1, wherein said contents server comprises:

means for acquiring information on a specific person authorized in image disclosure from a mobile phone of a disclosure requesting person; and

means for transmitting identification information on an image to be disclosed to a mobile phone of said specific person, based on said information on said specific person acquired.

3. The image disclosure system defined in claim 1, wherein a member record in which the user identifier of a mobile phone of a service member is described in a user identifier field is previously stored in said database;

and said system further comprising database updating means for, when a specific person authorized in image disclosure is a service member, describing identification information on an image to be disclosed in the identification information field of a member record of said service member.

4. The image disclosure system defined in claim 1, wherein information on a storage destination storing an image is used as image identification information.

5. An image disclosure system wherein an image displayed in a predetermined programming language by a user is disclosed to a specific person, comprising:

a mobile communication network;

a plurality of mobile phones connected to said mobile communication network;

a gateway server connected to said plurality of mobile phones via said mobile communication network;

a network;

a contents server connected to said gateway server via said network; and

a mail server for transmitting an electronic mail to said mobile phone;

said plurality of mobile phones each including;

a display for displaying images;

an electronic mail receiver for receiving an electronic mail to which image identification information is added;

means for transmitting an image disclosure request to said contents server, said image disclosure request to which said image identification information is added, and then downloading an image; and

an image controller for displaying said downloaded image to said display;

said gateway server including;

a user identifier table in which an intrinsic identifier of a mobile phone and a user identifier paired with said intrinsic identifier are described in a one-to-one correspondence; and

means for receiving an image disclosure request from a mobile phone, retrieving a user identifier corresponding to the intrinsic identifier of said mobile phone from said user identifier table, converting said intrinsic identifier of said mobile phone into a retrieved user identifier, and transmitting the image disclosure request from said mobile phone to said contents server;

said contents server including;

a memory for storing an image to be disclosed;

a database including records each being formed of an identification information field in which identification information for identifying an image to be disclosed is described and a user identifier field in which a user identifier is described;

means for creating identification information on an image to be disclosed;

means for transmitting an electronic mail to which identification information on said created image is added, to a specific person authorized in image disclosure;

data base updating means for adding records corresponding to the number of persons authorized in image disclosure to said database and describing the identification information of said image to the identification information field of each of said records added,

retrieving means for, when a mobile phone sends an image disclosure request, retrieving a record in which image identification information added to a disclosure request is described in the identification information field; and

a disclosure controller for, when the user identifier of the disclosure requiring mobile phone coincides with a user identifier described on the identifier field of any one of said retrieved records, reading out an image specified with said image identification information from said memory and then transmitting it to said mobile phone;

said disclosure controller for, when the user identifier of the disclosure requiring mobile phone does not coincide with a user identifier described on the identifier fields of said retrieved records and when there are records in which user identifiers are not described in an identifier field, among said retrieved records, describing the user identifier of said disclosure requesting mobile phone in the identifier field of any one of records in which user identifiers are not described and then reading out an image specified with said image identification information from said memory and then transmitting it to said mobile phone;

said disclosure controller for, when the user identifier of said disclosure requesting mobile phone does not coincide with user identifiers described in the identifier fields of said retrieved records and when the user identifier is described in all the identifiers of said retrieved records, inhibiting image disclosure, without transmitting a disclosure requested image.

6. The image disclosure system defined in claim 5, wherein each of said mobile phones comprises means for creating an image to be disclosed and means for transmitting said created image and information on specific persons authorized in disclosure of said created image, to said contents server;

and wherein said contents server comprises means for receiving said created image and storing it into said memory and means for notifying said database updating means of the number of persons authorized in disclosure based, on information on said specific person.

7. The image disclosure system defined in claim 5, wherein said database stores a member record in which the user identifier of a mobile phone of a service member is described in a user identifier field;

and said database updating means, when a specific person authorized in image disclosure is a service member, describes identification information on an image to be disclosed in the identification information field of the member record of said service member.

8. The image disclosure system defined in claim 5, wherein information on a storage destination storing an image is used as image identification information.

9. The image disclosure system defined in claim 5, wherein said contents server comprises an image data memory for storing image data used to create an image to be disclosed and means for reading out a desired image data from said image data memory, in response to an image creation request from a mobile phone and then transmitting it to said mobile phone;

and wherein each of said mobile phones comprises means for requesting image data to the contents server, acquiring image data, creating an image to be disclosed, with said acquired image data, and transmitting said created image and a mail address of a specific person being an image disclosures, destination, to said contents server.

10. The image disclosure system defined in claim 9, wherein said gateway server comprises a type information table in which an intrinsic identifier of a mobile phone and type information of said mobile phone are described in a one-to-one correspondence and means for retrieving the type information of said mobile phone from said type information table, in response to a request from said mobile phone, based on an intrinsic identifier added to said request, adding said type information to said request, and then transmitting the added information;

and wherein said contents server comprises image data memory for storing image data used for image creation for every type of mobile phones and means for reading out image data corresponding to the type information added to said request from said image data memory and then transmitting it to said mobile phone.

11. An contents server in an image disclosure system, said contents server disclosing an image displayed in a predetermined programming language by a user, to a specific person, said image disclose system including a mobile communication network, a plurality of mobile phones connected to said mobile communication network, a gateway server connected to said plurality of mobile phones via said mobile communication network, a network, and a contents server connected to said gateway server via said network;

said gateway server, when said mobile phone transmits a request to said contents server, converting an intrinsic identifier of a mobile phone added to said request into a user identifier corresponding to said intrinsic identifier and then transmitting said request to said contents server;

said contents server comprises;

a memory for storing said image to be disclosed;

a database including records each being formed of an identification information field in which identification information for identifying an image to be disclosed is described and a user identifier field in which a user identifier is described;

means for creating identification information on an image to be disclosed;

data base updating means for adding records corresponding to the number of persons authorized in image disclosure to said database and describing the image identification information in the identification information field of each of said records added;

retrieving means for retrieving records in which identification information on an image added to a disclosure request is described in an identification information field, in response to an image disclosure request from a mobile phone; and

a disclosure controller for, when the user identifier of the disclosure requesting mobile phone coincides with a user identifier described in the identifier field of any one of said retrieved records, reading out a disclosure requested image from said memory and then transmitting it to said mobile phone;

said disclosure controller for, when the user identifier of the disclosure requesting mobile does not coincide with a user identifier described in the identifier fields of said retrieved records and when there are records in which a user identifier is not described in an identifier field, among said retrieved records, describing the user identifier of said disclosure requesting mobile phone in the identifier field of any one of records in which user identifiers are not described;

said disclosure controller for reading out a disclosure requested image from said memory, transmitting it to said mobile phone, and then, when the user identifier of said disclosure requesting mobile phone does not coincide with the user identifiers described in the identifier fields of said retrieved records and when a user identifier is described in all the identifier fields of all of said retrieved records, inhibiting image disclosure, without transmitting a disclosure requested image.

12. The contents server defined in claim 11, further comprising means for acquiring an image to be disclosed and information on the number of persons authorized in image disclosure, from a mobile phone of a disclosure requesting person.

13. The contents server defined in claim 11, further comprising means for acquiring information on a person authorized in image disclosure from a mobile phone of a disclosure requiring person and means for transmitting the identification information on an image to be disclosed to the mobile phone of said specific person, based on information on said acquired specific person.

14. The contents server defined in claim 11, wherein said database stores a member record in which a user identifier of a mobile phone of a service member is described in a user identifier field;

and further comprising database updating means for, when a specific person authorized in image disclosure is a service member, describing identification information on an image to be disclosed in the identification information field of a member record of said service member.

15. The image disclosure system defined in claim 11, wherein information on a storage destination storing an image is used as image identification information.

16. An image disclosure method, wherein an image displayed in a predetermined programming language by a user is disclosed to a specific person in an network system;

said network system including a mobile communication network;

a plurality of mobile phones connected to said mobile communication network;

a gateway server connected to said plurality of mobile phones via said mobile communication network;

a network;

a contents server connected to said gateway server via said network, and a mail server for transmitting an electronic mail to said mobile phones;

said image disclosure method comprising the steps of;

creating image identification information for identifying an image to be disclosed, by means of said contents server;

adding, by means of said contents server, records corresponding to the number of persons authorized in image disclosure to a database and then describing said image identification information in the identification information field of each of said added records, said data base including records each being formed of an identification information field in which said image identification information is described and a user identification field in which a user identifier is described;

transmitting an image disclosure request to which image identification information on a disclosure required image is added, to said contents server by means of said mobile phone;

converting, by means of said gateway server, the intrinsic identifier of said mobile phone added to an image disclosure request and then transmitting said image disclosure request to said contents server;

receiving, by means of said contents server, an image disclosure request from said mobile phone and then retrieving a record in which image identification information added to said disclosure request is described in an identification information field;

transmitting, when the user identifier of the disclosure requesting mobile phone coincides with a user identifier described in the identifier field of any one of said retrieved records, a disclosure required image to said mobile phones by means of said contents server;

describing, when the user identifier of the disclosure requesting mobile phone does not coincide with a user identifier described in the identifier fields of said retrieved records and when there are records in which a user identifier is not described in an identifier field, among said retrieved records, the user identifier of said disclosure requesting mobile phone in the identifier field of any one of records in which user identifiers are not described and then transmitting a disclosure required image to said mobile phone; and

inhibiting, when the user identifier of said disclosure requesting mobile phone does not coincide with the user identifier described in the identifier fields of said retrieved records and when an user identifier is described on the identifiers of all of said retrieved records, image disclosure by means of said contents server, without transmitting a disclosure requested image.

17. The image disclosure method defined in claim 16, further comprising the step of acquiring an image to be disclosed and information on the number of persons authorized in image disclosure from a mobile phone of a disclosure requesting person.

18. The image disclosure method defined in claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

acquiring information on a specific person authorized in image disclosure from a personal phone of a disclosure requesting person; and

transmitting image identification information on an image to be disclosed to a mobile phone of said specific person, based on said information on said acquired specific person.

19. The image disclosure method defined in claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

information on a storage destination storing an image to be disclosed is used as image identification information.

20. The image disclosure method defined in claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

previously storing to said database a member record in which the user identifier of a mobile phone of a service member is described in a user identifier field; and

describing, when a specific person authorized in image disclosure is a service member, image identification information on an image to be disclosed in the identification information field of said member record, without newly adding a record.

21. An image disclosure system wherein an image displayed in a predetermined programming language by a user is disclosed to a specific person, comprising:

a mobile communication network;

a plurality of mobile phones connected to said mobile communication network;

a gateway server connected to said plurality of mobile phones via said mobile communication network;

a network; and

a contents server connected to said gateway server via said network;

said plurality of mobile phones each including;

a display for displaying images;

a processor is configured to transmit an image disclosure to said contents server, said image disclosure request to which identification information on a disclosure requested image is added, and then downloading said image; and

to display said downloaded image to said display;

said gateway server including;

a user identifier table in which an intrinsic identifier and a user identifier paired with said intrinsic identifier is described in a one-to-one correspondence; and

a processor is configured to receive an image disclosure request from a mobile phone, retrieving a user identifier corresponding to the intrinsic identifier of said mobile phone from said user identifier table;

convert said intrinsic identifier of said mobile phone into a retrieved user identifier, and transmit the image disclosure request from said mobile phone to said contents server;

said contents server including;

a memory for storing an image to be disclosed;

a database including records each being formed of an identification information field in which identification information for identifying an image to be disclosed is described and a user identifier field in which a user identifier is described;

a processor is configured to

create identification information on an image to be disclosed;

add records corresponding to the number of persons authorized in disclosure to said database and describe image identification information to the identification information field of each of said added records;

retrieve a record which has an identification information field in which image identification information added to a disclosure request is described when a mobile phone sends an image disclosure request;

when the user identifier of said disclosure requesting mobile phone coincides with a user identifier described on the identifier field of any one of said retrieved records, read out a disclosure requested image out of said memory and then transmitting it to said mobile phone;

when the user identifier of the disclosure requesting mobile phone does not coincide with user identifiers described on the identifier fields of said retrieved records and when there is a record of which a user identifier is not described on an identifier field, among said retrieved records, describe the user identifier of said disclosure requesting mobile phone in the identifier field of any one of records in which no user identifier is described and then reading out a disclosure requested image from said memory and then transmitting it to said mobile phone;

when the user identifier of said disclosure requesting mobile phone does not coincide with the user identifiers described in the identifier fields of said retrieved records and when an user identifier is described in all the identifiers of said retrieved records, reject image disclosure.

22. The image disclosure system defined in claim 21, wherein said processor of said contents server is further configured to:

acquire information on a specific person authorized in image disclosure from a mobile phone of a disclosure requesting person; and

transmit identification information on an image to be disclosed to a mobile phone of said specific person, based on said information on said specific person acquired.

23. The image disclosure system defined in claim 21, wherein a member record in which the user identifier of a mobile phone of a service member is described in a user identifier field is previously stored in said database;

and

said processor of said contents server is further configured to, when a specific person authorized in image disclosure is a service member, describe identification information on an image to be disclosed in the identification information field of a member record of said service member.

24. The image disclosure system defined in claim 21, wherein information on a storage destination storing an image is used as image identification information.

25. An contents server in an image disclosure system, said contents server disclosing an image displayed in a predetermined programming language by a user, to a specific person, said image disclose system including a mobile communication network, a plurality of mobile phones connected to said mobile communication network, a gateway server connected to said plurality of mobile phones via said mobile communication network, a network, and a contents server connected to said gateway server via said network;

said gateway server, when said mobile phone transmits a request to said contents server, converting an intrinsic identifier of a mobile phone added to said request into a user identifier corresponding to said intrinsic identifier and then transmitting said request to said contents server;

said contents server comprises;

a memory for storing said image to be disclosed;

a database including records each being formed of an identification information field in which identification information for identifying an image to be disclosed is described and a user identifier field in which a user identifier is described;

a processor is configured to;

create identification information on an image to be disclosed,

add records corresponding to the number of persons authorized in image disclosure to said database and describing the image identification information in the identification information field of each of said records added,

retrieve records in which identification information on an image added to a disclosure request is described in an identification information field, in response to an image disclosure request from a mobile phone,

when the user identifier of the disclosure requesting mobile phone coincides with a user identifier described in the identifier field of any one of said retrieved records, read out a disclosure requested image from said memory and then transmitting it to said mobile phone, when the user identifier of the disclosure requesting mobile does not coincide with a user identifier described in the identifier fields of said retrieved records and when there are records in which a user identifier is not described in an identifier field, among said retrieved records, describe the user identifier of said disclosure requesting mobile phone in the identifier field of any one of records in which user identifiers are not described, and

read out a disclosure requested image from said memory, transmitting it to said mobile phone, and then, when the user identifier of said disclosure requesting mobile phone does not coincide with the user identifiers described in the identifier fields of said retrieved records and when a user identifier is described in all the identifier fields of all of said retrieved records, inhibiting image disclosure, without transmitting a disclosure requested image.

26. The contents server defined in claim 25, wherein said processor of said contents server is further configured to acquire an image to be disclosed and information on the number of persons authorized in image disclosure, from a mobile phone of a disclosure requesting person.

27. The contents server defined in claim 25, wherein said processor of said contents server is further configured to acquire information on a person authorized in image disclosure from a mobile phone of a disclosure requiring person and means for transmitting the identification information on an image to be disclosed to the mobile phone of said specific person, based on information on said acquired specific person.

28. The contents server defined in claim 26, wherein said database stores a member record in which a user identifier of a mobile phone of a service member is described in a user identifier field;

and

said processor of said contents server is further configured to, when a specific person authorized in image disclosure is a service member, describe identification information on an image to be disclosed in the identification information field of a member record of said service member.

29. The image disclosure system defined in claim 26, wherein information on a storage destination storing an image is used as image identification information.