Network system, network server and terminal device

• US 7,216,171 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2005
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawamoto, Youji, Hidaka, Isao, Tsunoda, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar; Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, LIANG CHE A
• Application Number:
  US11/107,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20050198136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709213-216, 709/246, 709/249, 709/232, 709/250, 709/225, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/225
• 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 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

A network system, a network server and a terminal device, capable of easily and surely transmitting various information to a user being the destination of the information. The terminal device to be used by a user is recorded in the network server 22. The network server 22 converts information to be transmitted to the terminal device used by the user into information conformed to the terminal device used by the user, or transmits a notice to the terminal device to the effect that there is information to be transmitted to said user. Thereby, the information can be easily and surely transmitted to the user who is the destination of the information.

Claims

1. A network system comprising:

a terminal device; and

a network server including;

connecting means for connecting to said terminal device via prescribed communication means, wherein when said terminal device detects that a memory device is inserted into a slot therein, a request for authentification is sent to said network server by sending said information for user authentication and information about terminal specification to said network server, and said information for user authentication is stored in said network server in association with said information about terminal specification for future communication with said terminal device associated with said information about terminal specification when said network server authenticates the user, and when there is information to be transmitted to said terminal device used by the user, said network server notifies said terminal device used by the user of the presence of the information to be transmitted,

wherein said memory device is divided into areas designated by a memory map, one of said areas containing personal information relating to a user of the memory device and another of said areas containing lock terminal information relating to a specific kind of said terminal device;

group forming means for forming a group of a plurality of users by producing a group ID in response to a group forming request transmitted by said terminal device, for recording an other terminal device into said group in response to receiving said group ID from said other terminal device, and for transmitting information sent from a user belonging to said group to another user belonging to said group.