Method for registering a terminal with an internet service provider

• US 6,978,296 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Maeda, Satoru, Onishi, Manabu
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/965,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20020073184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/225, 709/227, 709/229, 719/328, 719/329
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A terminal apparatus setting method is provided, comprising the steps of connecting a terminal apparatus to a setting server which is provided for registering with one or more Internet service providers associated with the setting server. The terminal apparatus receives information regarding the one or more Internet service providers associated with the setting server from the setting server, and a desired one of the one or more Internet service providers associated with the setting server is selected. Selection information indicative of the selected Internet service provider is sent to the setting server. An input request regarding registration items required by the selected Internet service provider is received from the setting server. Registration information is in response to the required registration items in the input request and sending the registration information to the setting server. Setting information is finally received from the setting server for setting up the terminal apparatus necessary to utilize the selected Internet service provider.

Claims

1. A terminal apparatus setting method, comprising the steps of:

connecting a terminal apparatus to a setting server which is provided for registering with one or more Internet service providers associated with said setting server before said terminal apparatus is coupled to anyone of said one or more Internet service providers;

receiving, by said terminal apparatus, information regarding said one or more Internet service providers associated with said setting server from said setting server;

selecting a desired one of said one or more Internet service providers associated with said setting server and sending selection information indicative of said selected Internet service provider to said setting server;

receiving an input request regarding registration items required by said selected Internet service provider from said setting server;

inputting registration information in response to said required registration items in said input request and sending said registration information to said setting server; and

receiving setting information from said setting server for setting up said terminal apparatus necessary to utilize said selected Internet service provider;

whereby said terminal apparatus is free from having installed therein, prior to being connected to said setting server, information associated with and needed for selecting from and registering to said one or more Internet service providers.

2. The terminal apparatus setting method according to claim 1, wherein

said setting server and said one or more Internet service providers communicate with each other, and said terminal apparatus receives said setting information for setting up said terminal apparatus necessary for utilizing said selected Internet service provider through said setting server.

3. The terminal apparatus setting method according to claim 1, wherein,

after said terminal apparatus receives said setting information, said terminal apparatus automatically sets one or more items necessary to utilize said selected Internet service provider based on said setting information.

4. The terminal apparatus setting method according to claim 3, wherein,

when said terminal apparatus is connected to said setting server, information regarding said terminal apparatus is sent from said terminal apparatus to said setting server, and

processing for automatically setting said one or more items necessary to utilize said selected Internet service provider based on said setting information is performed from said setting server using the information regarding said terminal apparatus.

5. The terminal apparatus setting method according to claim 1, wherein,

each time said terminal apparatus is set, a service charge is paid from said Internet service provider to said setting server.

6. The terminal apparatus setting method according to claim 1, wherein

a common format is used for the setting information for a plurality of terminal apparatus.

7. The terminal apparatus setting method according to claim 1, wherein,

each time said terminal apparatus is set, said setting server registers registration information of each user as customer information into a database.

8. A terminal apparatus, comprising:

means for connecting a terminal apparatus to a setting server which is provided for registering with one or more Internet service providers associated with said setting server before said terminal apparatus is coupled to anyone of said one or more Internet service provider;

a receiver for receiving information regarding said one or more Internet service providers associated with said setting server from said setting server;

means for selecting a desired one of said one or more Internet service providers associated with said setting server and sending selection information indicative of said selected Internet service provider to said setting server;

said receiver further receiving an input request regarding registration items required by said selected Internet service provider from said setting server; and

means for inputting registration information in response to said required registration items in said input request and sending said registration information to said setting server; and

said receiver further receiving setting information from said setting server for setting up said terminal apparatus necessary to utilize said selected Internet service provider;

whereby said terminal apparatus is free from having installed therein, prior to being connected to said setting server, information associated with and needed for selecting from and registering to said one or more internet service providers.

9. The terminal apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

said setting server and said plurality of Internet service providers communicate with each other, and said terminal apparatus receives the setting information for setting up said terminal apparatus necessary for utilizing said selected Internet service provider through said setting server.

10. The terminal apparatus according to claim 8, wherein,

after said terminal apparatus receives the setting information said terminal apparatus automatically sets one or more items necessary to utilize said selected Internet service provider based on said setting information.

11. The terminal apparatus according to claim 10, wherein,

when said terminal is connected to said setting server, information regarding said terminal apparatus is sent from said terminal apparatus to said setting server, and processing for automatically setting said one or more items necessary to utilize said selected Internet service provider based on said setting information is performed from said setting server using the information regarding said terminal apparatus.

12. The terminal apparatus according to claim 8, wherein,

each time said terminal apparatus is set, a service charge is paid from said Internet service provider to said setting server.

13. The terminal apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

a common format is used for the setting information to a plurality of terminal apparatus.

14. The terminal apparatus according to claim 8, wherein,

each time said terminal apparatus is set, said setting server registers registration information of each user as customer information into a database.

15. A terminal setting program, stored on a computer readable recording medium said program comprising:

an instruction for connecting a terminal apparatus to a setting server which is provided for registering with one or more Internet service providers associated with said setting server before said terminal apparatus is coupled to anyone of said one or more Internet service provider;

an instruction for receiving, by said terminal apparatus, information regarding said one or more Internet service providers associated with said setting server from said setting server;

an instruction for selecting a desired one of said one or more Internet service providers associated with said setting server and sending selection information indicative of said selected Internet service provider to said setting server;

an instruction for receiving an input request regarding registration items required by said selected Internet service provider from said setting server;

an instruction for inputting registration information in response to said required registration items in said input request and sending said registration information to said setting server; and

an instruction for receiving setting information from said setting server for setting up said terminal apparatus necessary to utilize said selected Internet service provider;

whereby said terminal apparatus is free from having installed therein, prior to being connected to said setting server, information associated with and needed for selecting from and registering to said one or more Internet service providers.

16. A recording medium associated with a terminal apparatus, said recording medium including data for assisting in the set up of said terminal apparatus, said data comprising instructions for performing the steps of:

connecting a terminal apparatus to a setting server which is provided for registering with one or more Internet service providers associated with said setting server before said terminal apparatus is coupled to anyone of said one or more Internet service provider;

receiving, by said terminal apparatus, information regarding said one or more Internet service providers associated with said setting server from said setting server;

selecting a desired one of said one or more Internet service providers associated with said setting server and sending selection information indicative of said selected Internet service provider to said setting server;

receiving an input request regarding registration items required by said selected Internet service provider from said setting server;

inputting registration information in response to said required registration items in said input request and sending said registration information to said setting server; and

receiving setting information from said setting server for setting up said terminal apparatus necessary to utilize said selected Internet service provider;

whereby said terminal apparatus is free from having installed therein, prior to being connected to said setting server, information associated with and needed for selecting from and registering to said one or more Internet service providers.