Method and system for providing an on-line service and computer readable storage medium

• US 7,313,624 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Seki, Taku, Satomi, Shigeki
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot; Bharat
• Application Number:
  US10/962,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20050060415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709227-229, 709/249, 713155-156, 713/182, 726 2- 4, 455/422.1, 455/456.3, 455/457, 455/517
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

In an online service providing system, a user PC can receive services without paying attention to business hours and line identifier numbers of service points. Automatic distributor device exists between PC issuing a service request and a plurality of service points offering services and passes the service request of PC to pertinent service point. Access authorization level DB stores information regarding each user. Service point DB stores business time zones of respective service points. Automatic distributor device refers to access authorization level DB to determine an authorization level of the user. Moreover, automatic distributor device references service point DB to select service point currently in the business time zone and relays communication to PC.

Claims

1. An online service providing method performed by a distributor device intervening, via a network, between a terminal equipment of a user requesting a service and computers installed at a plurality of service points offering services, said method comprising:

storing, in first storage means, information regarding each user;

storing, in second storage means, a service time zone of each service point;

determining whether the user is authorized to receive a service offered by referring to the first storage means, when a service request is received from a user;

when the user is authorized, selecting one of the service points currently in the service time zone by referring to the second storage means; and

relaying communication between the terminal equipment and the selected service point.

2. A service distributor device for selecting one of a plurality of service points offering services in response to a service request from external and relaying a service, comprising:

storage means for storing a service time zone of each service point;

means for selecting one of the service points currently in the service time zone by referring to the storage means; and

means for relaying the service request to the selected service point.

3. A service distributor device according to claim 2, wherein service time zones of a plurality of service points allow a 24-hour continuous service.

4. A service distributor device according to claim 2, further comprising:

second storage means for registering a call identifier of each user;

control means for controlling to relay the service request to the selected service point, when a number of a sender of the server request coincides with the call identifier included in the second storage means.

5. A service distributor device according to claim 2, wherein:

the storage means further stores a service type of each service point, and

the selecting means selects one of the service points matching a service type requested by the service request in addition to being in the service time zone by referring to the storage means.

6. A service distributor device according to claim 2, wherein when a service time zone of a first service point directly succeeds a service time zone of a second service point, the first service point transfers data updated by the first service point and a transaction received by the first service point to the second service point before the service of the first service point is switched to the service of the second service point.

7. A service distributor device for relaying a service offered by a service point when a service request is received from a terminal equipment, comprising:

storing means for storing a call identifier of each user associated with the terminal equipment and a service type available for the user with a correspondence established therebetween;

determining means for determining the service type according to a call identifier of the service request from the terminal equipment; and

relaying means for relaying the service request to a service point associated with the service type.