Data distribution terminal, menu server, and distribution reservation system using them

• US 7,233,787 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hori, Yoshihiro, Higuchi, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): GAUTHIER, GERALD
• Application Number:
  US10/221,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20030050050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,276 Days
• Field of Search: 455/154.1, 455/412, 455/413, 455/414, 455/154, 455/557, 455/572, 455/556, 455/458, 455/566, 455/419, 455/422, 455/445, 709/232, 709/226, 709/229
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1058 Shopping and product ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/50 Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers H04M3/487 takes precedence; centralised dictation systems H04M11/10; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 where the data service is an information service

Abstract

A data delivery terminal (12) is connected to a delivery server (18) via a radio base station (14) and a cellular phone network (16). A user can input reservation information of content data (music data) by operating an operation panel on the data delivery terminal (12). For example, the reservation information includes a date and time of download and a title name of music data, connection information (DAP-TEL) to an access point (DAP) for a download server (20) and etc. When such the reservation information is input, the data delivery terminal (12) dials the access point in accordance with the date and time included in the reservation information. When a connection state is established, desired music data is transmitted from the download server (20) such that the music data is downloaded to a memory card attached to the data delivery terminal (12).

Claims

1. A reservation delivery system, comprising:

a terminal for receiving downloaded content data via a cellular phone network;

a menu server being coupled to said terminal via said cellular phone network; and

a download server coupled to said terminal via said cellular phone network, wherein

said menu server includes

a first holding means for holding a plurality of data identifying information each corresponding to each of a plurality of content data;

a second holding means for holding connection information to said download server which delivers the content data, the connection information corresponding to the data identifying information;

an input information receiving means for receiving input information input into said terminal;

an identifying information selecting means for selecting one data identifying information according to the input information received by said input information receiving means;

a reservation information creating means for creating reservation information including the one data identifying information selected by said identifying information selecting means and connection information corresponding to the one data identifying information; and

a reservation information transmitting means for transmitting the created reservation information to said terminal, and

said terminal includes

a transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving data via the cellular phone network;

a first input means for inputting the input information;

an input information transmitting means for transmitting the input information to said menu server via said transmitting/receiving means;

a reservation information receiving means for receiving the reservation information via said transmitting/receiving means;

a second input means for inputting schedule information including a date and time of download in correspondence to the reservation information received by said reservation information receiving means;

an information storage memory for storing the reservation information and the schedule information;

an establishing means for automatically establishing a connection to said download server according to the schedule information and the reservation information;

a download means for downloading the content data corresponding to the data identifying information from said download server according to the reservation information; and

a second storage memory for storing downloaded content data, and

said download server includes

a third holding means for storing at least the content data; and

a content data transmitting means for transmitting the content data corresponding to the data identifying information in response to a request from said terminal.

2. A reservation delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the reservation information further includes a downloadable term of the content data and said second input means includes a forcing means for forcing the date and time of download to be input within the downloadable term.

3. A terminal, having a transmitter/receiver, for receiving content data downloaded from a delivery source via a cellular telephone network, comprising:

a first storage memory in said terminal for storing reservation information and schedule information input thereto, wherein said reservation information includes at least data identifying information of the content data, and wherein said schedule information includes a date and time of download, in correspondence to the reservation information;

an establishing means for automatically establishing connection with the delivery source which delivers the content data according to the schedule information and the reservation information;

a download means for downloading the content data corresponding to the data identifying information from the delivery source via said transmitter/receiver according to the reservation information; and

a second storage memory for storing downloaded content data.

4. The terminal of claim 3, further comprising a determination means for determining whether there is a situation possible to download the content data or a situation impossible to download the content data on the basis of a download environment including a radio field intensity at at least said transmitter/receiver when the connection is established by said establishing means, and

further wherein said download means conducts the downloading of the content data only in a case that said determination means determines that there exists a situation possible to download the content data.

5. The terminal of claim 4, further comprising an optimizing means for optimizing the download environment so as to become a situation possible downloadable condition in a case that said determination means initially determines that there exists a situation impossible to download the content data.

6. A terminal according to claim 5, wherein the download environment further includes a vacant capacity of said second storage memory.

7. A terminal according to claim 5, further comprising a warning means for warning a not-downloadable situation in a case that the situation impossible to perform the download is determined by said determination means and the download environment is not optimized to the situation possible to perform the download by said optimizing means.

8. A terminal according to claim 5, further comprising a renewal means for renewing the date and time of the download in a case that the situation impossible to perform the download is determined by said determination means and the download environment is not optimized to the situation possible to perform the download by said optimizing means.

9. A terminal according to claim 5, wherein the reservation information further includes a downloadable term of the content data,

a first input means, for inputting reservation information into said first storage memory includes a reservation information obtaining means for obtaining the reservation information from said delivery source via said transmitter/receiver, and

a second input means, for inputting schedule information into said first storage memory, includes a forcing means for forcing the date and time of download to be input within the downloadable term.

10. A terminal according to claim 5, further comprising a battery for providing an electric power source in the terminal itself, wherein the download environment further includes a remaining amount of power in said battery.

11. A terminal according to claim 5, wherein said second storage memory includes an attachable/detachable memory card,

said download means downloads license data including encrypted content data and a decryption key for decrypting the encrypted content data,

said memory card includes a first card memory for storing the encrypted content data, a second card memory for storing the decryption key, a second decryption means for decrypting cipher performed on the license data so as to write to said second card memory, and an encryption means for encrypting the license data read from said second card memory.

12. A terminal, having a transmitter/receiver, for receiving content data downloaded from a delivery source via a cellular telephone network and storing the content data in an attachable/detachable storing device, comprising:

an interface for transmitting and receiving at least the content data with the storing device, when the storing device is attached;

a storage memory in said terminal for storing reservation information and schedule information input thereto, wherein said reservation information includes at least data identifying information of the content data, and wherein said schedule information includes a date and time of download, in correspondence to the reservation information;

an establishing means for automatically establishing connection with the delivery source which delivers the content data according to the schedule information and the reservation information;

a download means for downloading the content data corresponding to the data identifying information from the delivery source via said transmitter/receiver according to the reservation information; and

a storage controller for storing downloaded content data in the attachable/detachable storing device via said interface.

13. The terminal of claim 12, further comprising a determination means for determining whether there is a situation possible to download the content data or a situation impossible to download the content data on the basis of a download environment including a radio field intensity at at least said transmitter/receiver when the connection is established by said establishing means, and

further wherein said download means conducts the downloading of the content data only in a case that said determination means determines that there exists a situation possible to download the content data.

14. The terminal of claim 13, further comprising an optimizing means for optimizing the download environment so as to become a situation possible downloadable condition in a case that said determination means initially determines that there exists a situation impossible to download the content data.

15. A terminal according to claim 14, wherein the download environment further includes a vacant capacity of said attachable/detachable storing device.

16. A terminal according to claim 14, further comprising a renewal means for renewing the date and time of the download in a case that the situation impossible to perform the download is determined by said determination means and the download environment is not optimized to the situation possible to perform the download by said optimizing means.

17. A terminal according to claim 14, further comprising a warning means for warning a not-downloadable situation in a case that that the situation impossible to perform the download is determined by said determination means and the download environment is not optimized to the situation possible to perform the download by said optimizing means.

18. A terminal according to claim 14, wherein the reservation information further includes a downloadable term of the content data,

a first input means, for inputting reservation information into said storage memory, includes a reservation information obtaining means for obtaining the reservation information from said delivery source via said transmitter/receiver, and

a second input means, for inputting schedule information into said storage memory, includes a forcing means for forcing the date and time of download to be input within the downloadable term.

19. A terminal according to claim 14, further comprising a battery for providing an electric power source in the terminal itself, and wherein the download environment further includes a remaining amount of power in said battery.