Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and transmitting medium

• US 6,842,752 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2003
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• 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:
  US10/444,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20030195972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/202, 709/229, 707/10, 707/9, 707/1, 705/14, 713/201, 713/200
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. An information processing device of a user connected to an information processing apparatus and an information processing device of a service provider through a network, comprising:

communication means for communicating with said information processing apparatus through said network;

determining means for determining whether a user permits said information processing apparatus to provide a personal information of said user to said information processing device of said service provider; and

confirmation means for confirming a manner of using said personal information of said user by said information processing device of said service provider when performing a transaction between said information processing device of said user and said information processing device of said service provider;

wherein said information processing apparatus provides said personal information of said user for said information processing device of said service provider on behalf of said information processing device of said user.

2. The information processing device of said user of claim 1, wherein determining means determines each item in said personal information of said user.

3. The information processing device of said user of claim 1, further comprising authentication means for inputting an identification of said information processing device of said user for authentication.

4. The information processing device of said user of claim 1 wherein said information processing device of said user comprises one of a wireless device including a personal digital assistant, a mobile telephone, a personal handyphone, a pager, a laptop computer and a handheld information processing device.

5. The information processing device of said user of claim 1, wherein said personal information includes one of a user payment information, a user home address, a user email address, a user telephone number, a user date of birth, a user password, and a user ID.

6. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus connected to an information processing device of a user and an information processing device of a service provider through a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for personal information of a user from said information processing apparatus;

determining whether said user permits said information processing apparatus to provide said personal information of said user to said information processing apparatus;

confirming a manner of using said personal information of said user by said information processing device of said service provider when performing a transaction between said information processing device of said user and said information processing device of said service provider; and

providing said personal information of said user to said information processing device of said service provider on behalf of said information processing device of said user.

7. The information processing method of claim 6, further comprising the step of determining each item in said personal information of said user.

8. The information processing method of claim 6, further comprising the step of inputting an identification of said information processing device of said user for authentication.

9. The information processing method of claim 6, wherein said information processing device of said user comprises one of a wireless device including a personal digital assistant, a mobile telephone, a personal handyphone, a pager, a laptop computer and a handheld information processing device.

10. The information processing method of claim 6, wherein said personal information includes one of a user payment information, a user home address, a user email address, a user telephone number, a user date of birth, a user password, and a user ID.