Acquisition of attribute and accounting information with communication interruption

• US 7,603,335 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Iwatsu, Takeshi, Sakoh, Noriyuki, Murase, Yasuhiro, Moriya, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl; Joseph P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang; Liwu
• Application Number:
  US10/571,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20070033192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,973 Days
• Field of Search: 706/61, 707/10
• US Class Current: 706/61
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

An attribute information acquisition method, including transmitting an attribute request for contents attribute information for altering attributes of contents data stored in a storage medium to an attribute information providing apparatus. The method also includes receiving the contents attribute information transmitted from the attribute information providing apparatus as a result of the transmission of the attribute request. Further, the method includes transmitting to an accounting status notification apparatus a notification request for accounting status notification information that indicates whether an accounting process that corresponds to the contents attribute information has been completed, when a communication enabled state with the attribute information providing apparatus is restored after communication with the attribute information providing apparatus is interrupted during the receiving the contents attribute information. In addition, the method includes receiving the accounting status notification information transmitted from the accounting status notification apparatus as a result of transmitting the notification request.

Claims

1. An attribute information acquisition method for an acquisition information apparatus, the attribute information acquisition method comprising:

transmitting, from the acquisition information apparatus, an attribute request for contents attribute information for altering attributes of contents data stored in a storage medium to an attribute information providing apparatus, the attribute request including an accounting ID identifying an accounting process corresponding to the contents attribute information;

receiving, at the acquisition information apparatus, the contents attribute information transmitted from the attribute information providing apparatus as a result of the transmission of the attribute request;

storing, in a memory device of the acquisition information apparatus, contents attribute identification information identifying the contents attribute information, when the receiving the contents attribute information is complete;

judging, at the acquisition information apparatus, that the communication with the attribute information providing apparatus was interrupted during the receiving the contents attribute information, if the contents attribute identification information is not stored in the acquisition information apparatus;

transmitting, from the acquisition information apparatus, to the attribute information providing apparatus, an accounting status notification request for an accounting status notification that indicates whether the accounting process that corresponds to the contents attribute information has been completed, in response to a restoration of a communication enabled state with the attribute information providing apparatus after the acquisition information apparatus judges that the communication with the attribute information providing apparatus was interrupted during the receiving the contents attribute information, the accounting status notification request including the accounting ID; and

receiving, at the acquisition information apparatus, the accounting status notification associated with the accounting ID, transmitted from the attribute information providing apparatus as a result of the transmitting the accounting status notification request.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a file request to an acquisition/use information providing apparatus for an acquisition/use file that contains a contents providing address and an attribute information providing address corresponding to a contents data acquisition request;

receiving the acquisition/use file transmitted from the acquisition/use information providing apparatus in response to the transmission of the file request;

storing the acquisition/use file temporarily;

accessing the contents providing address;

transmitting a contents request for the contents data to a contents providing apparatus;

receiving the contents data transmitted from the contents providing apparatus in response to the transmission of the contents request; and

storing temporarily contents identification information identifying the contents data after the completion of the receiving the contents data, wherein the transmitting the attribute request is executed after the storing temporarily the contents identification information.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

relating the contents data to the contents attribute information and registering the contents data and the contents attribute information in a database; and

erasing the temporarily stored contents identification information and the contents attribute identification information, after a completion of the registration of the contents data and the contents attribute information in the database.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

erasing the acquisition/use file in response to the restoration of the communication enabled state, wherein

the transmitting to the attribute information providing apparatus is executed after the erasing the acquisition/use file.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a most updated acquisition/use file as a result of again executing the transmitting the file request and the receiving the acquisition/use file, after the receiving the accounting status notification;

temporarily storing the most updated acquisition/use file; and

detecting whether contents identification information corresponding to a contents providing address contained in the most updated acquisition/use file is temporarily stored; and

accessing the contents providing address contained in the most updated acquisition/use file and transmitting a contents request for the contents data identified by the contents identification information to the contents providing apparatus, when it is detected in the detecting that the contents identification information is not temporarily stored.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

detecting whether the contents attribute identification information, which corresponds to the contents identification information, is temporarily stored, when it is detected that the contents identification information is temporarily stored; and

transmitting an other attribute request for the contents attribute information to the attribute information providing apparatus when the contents attribute identification information is detected not to be temporarily stored.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

detecting whether the contents data and the contents attribute information are registered in the database, when it is detected that the contents attribute identification information is temporarily stored; and

relating the contents data and the contents attribute information and registering the contents data and the contents attribute information in the database, when it is detected that the contents data and the contents attribute information are not registered in the database.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a file request to an acquisition/use information providing apparatus for an acquisition/use file that contains a contents acquiring address and an attribute information acquiring address corresponding to an acquisition request for acquiring the contents data;

receiving the acquisition/use file transmitted from the acquisition/use information providing apparatus in response to the transmitting the file request;

storing the acquisition/use file temporarily;

generating contents identification information that corresponds to the contents acquiring address;

generating contents attribute address identification information identifying the attribute information acquiring address that corresponds to the contents acquiring address;

storing the contents identification information and the contents attribute address identification information temporarily;

accessing the contents acquiring address;

transmitting a contents request for the contents data to a contents providing apparatus, after the storing the contents identification information and the contents attribute address identification information temporarily; and

receiving the contents data, which is transmitted from the contents providing apparatus, in response to the transmitting the contents request, wherein

the transmitting the attribute request is executed after the receiving the contents data.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

relating the contents data to the contents attribute information and registering the contents data and the contents attribute information in a database, after the receiving the contents attribute information; and

erasing the temporarily stored contents identification information and the contents attribute address identification information, which correspond respectively to the contents data and the contents attribute information, after a completion of the registering the contents data and the contents attribute information in the database.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

detecting whether the temporarily stored contents identification information and the temporarily stored contents attribute address identification information have been left unerased, in response to the restoration of the communication enabled state after the communication was interrupted;

erasing the contents data and the contents attribute information as well as the contents data and the contents attribute information registered in the database, when it is detected that the temporarily stored contents identification information and the temporarily stored contents attribute information have been left unerased, wherein

the transmitting to the attribute information providing apparatus is executed after the erasing the contents data.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

erasing the temporarily stored contents identification information and the temporarily stored contents attribute information after the receiving the accounting status notification; and

transmitting the file request to the acquisition/use information providing apparatus once again after the receiving the accounting status notification.

12. An accounting status notification method for an attribute information providing apparatus, the accounting status notification method comprising:

transmitting, upon an availability from an accounting information apparatus, accounting completion data that includes an accounting ID to an attribute providing apparatus wherein the attribute providing apparatus manages accounting status notification information;

receiving, at the attribute information providing apparatus, a notification request from an acquisition information apparatus for accounting status notification information that indicates whether an accounting process has been completed, in response to a restoration of a communication enabled state at the acquisition information apparatus after a communication with the attribute information providing apparatus was interrupted at a time of receiving contents attribute information at the acquisition information apparatus, the contents attribute information being transmitted from the attribute information providing apparatus as a result of a transmission of an attribute request for the contents attribute information to the attribute information providing apparatus; and

transmitting the accounting status notification information corresponding to the received notification request to the acquisition information apparatus.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting the accounting ID to the acquisition information apparatus, the accounting ID identifying the accounting process corresponding to the contents attribute information, wherein the transmitting the accounting status notification information includes,

specifying the accounting status notification information according to the accounting ID, and

transmitting the specified accounting status notification information to the acquisition information apparatus.

14. An acquisition information apparatus, comprising:

means for transmitting an attribute request for contents attribute information for altering attributes of contents data stored in a storage medium to an attribute information providing apparatus, the attribute request including an accounting ID identifying an accounting process corresponding to the contents attribute information;

means for receiving the contents attribute information transmitted from the attribute information providing apparatus as a result of the transmission of the attribute request;

means for storing contents attribute identification information identifying the contents attribute information, when the means for receiving completes a reception of the contents attribute information;

means for judging that the communication with the attribute information providing apparatus was interrupted during the reception of the contents attribute information, if the contents attribute identification information is not stored in the means for storing;

means for transmitting to the attribute information providing apparatus, an accounting status notification request for an accounting status notification that indicates whether the accounting process that corresponds to the contents attribute information has been completed, in response to a restoration of a communication enabled state with the attribute information providing apparatus after the means for judging judges that the communication with the attribute information providing apparatus was interrupted while the contents attribute information was being received, the accounting status notification request including the accounting ID; and

means for receiving the accounting status notification associated with the accounting ID, transmitted from the attribute information providing apparatus as a result of transmitting the accounting status notification request.

15. An attribute information providing apparatus, comprising:

means for transmitting accounting completion data that includes an accounting ID to an attribute providing apparatus that manages accounting status notification information, and for receiving a notification request from an acquisition information apparatus for accounting status notification information that indicates whether an accounting process has been completed, in response to a restoration of a communication enabled state at the acquisition information apparatus after a communication with the attribute information providing apparatus was interrupted at a time of receiving contents attribute information at the acquisition information apparatus, the contents attribute information being transmitted from the attribute information providing apparatus as a result of a transmission of an attribute request for the contents attribute information to the attribute information providing apparatus; and

means for transmitting the accounting status notification information corresponding to the received notification request to the acquisition information apparatus.

16. A computer readable medium storing an acquisition information program that, when executed by an acquisition information apparatus, causes the acquisition information apparatus to execute a method comprising:

transmitting an attribute request, from the acquisition information apparatus, for contents attribute information for altering attributes of contents data stored in a storage medium to an attribute information providing apparatus, the attribute request including an accounting ID identifying an accounting process corresponding to the contents attribute information;

receiving, at the acquisition information apparatus, the contents attribute information transmitted from the attribute information providing apparatus as a result of the transmitting the attribute request;

storing in a memory device of the acquisition information apparatus contents attribute identification information identifying the contents attribute information, when the receiving the contents attribute information is complete;

judging, at the acquisition information apparatus, that the communication with the attribute information providing apparatus was interrupted during the receiving the contents attribute information, if the contents attribute identification information is not stored in the memory device;

transmitting, from the acquisition information apparatus, to the attribute information providing apparatus, an accounting status notification request for an accounting status notification that indicates whether the accounting process that corresponds to the contents attribute information has been completed, in response to a restoration of a communication enabled state with the attribute information providing apparatus after the judging judges that the communication with the attribute information providing apparatus was interrupted during the receiving the contents attribute information, the accounting status notification request including the accounting ID; and

receiving, at the acquisition information apparatus, the accounting status notification associated with the accounting ID, transmitted from the attribute information providing apparatus as a result of the transmitting the accounting status notification request.

17. A computer readable medium storing an attribute information providing program that, when executed by an attribute information providing apparatus, causes the attribute information providing apparatus to execute a method comprising:

transmitting, upon an availability from an accounting information apparatus, accounting completion data that includes an accounting ID to an attribute providing apparatus wherein the attribute providing apparatus manages accounting status notification information;

receiving a notification request, from an acquisition information apparatus, at the attribute information providing apparatus, for accounting status notification information that indicates whether an accounting process has been completed, in response to a restoration of a communication enabled state at the acquisition information apparatus after a communication with the attribute information providing apparatus was interrupted at a time of receiving contents attribute information at the acquisition information apparatus, the contents attribute information being transmitted from the attribute information providing apparatus as a result of a transmission of an attribute request for the contents attribute information to the attribute information providing apparatus; and

transmitting the accounting status notification information corresponding to the received notification request to the acquisition information apparatus.

18. An acquisition information apparatus, comprising:

a first transmission unit configured to transmit an attribute request for contents attribute information for altering attributes of contents data stored in a storage medium to an attribute information providing apparatus, the attribute request including an accounting ID identifying an accounting process corresponding to the contents attribute information;

a first reception unit configured to receive the contents attribute information transmitted from the attribute information providing apparatus as a result of the transmission of the attribute request;

a memory configured to store contents attribute identification information identifying the contents attribute information, when the receiving the contents attribute information is complete;

a processing device configured to judge that the communication with the attribute information providing apparatus was interrupted during the receiving the contents attribute information, if the contents attribute identification information is not stored in the memory;

a second transmission unit configured to transmit to the attribute information providing apparatus, an accounting status notification request for an accounting status notification that indicates whether the accounting process that corresponds to the contents attribute information has been completed, in response to a restoration of a communication enabled state with the attribute information providing apparatus after the processing device judges that the communication with the attribute information providing apparatus was interrupted while the contents attribute information was being received, the accounting status notification request including the accounting ID; and

a second reception unit configured to receive the accounting status notification associated with the accounting ID, transmitted from the attribute information providing apparatus as a result of the transmission of the accounting status notification request.

19. An attribute information providing apparatus, comprising:

a communication unit configured to transmit accounting completion data that includes an accounting ID to an attribute providing apparatus that manages accounting status notification information, and to receive a notification request from an acquisition information apparatus for accounting status notification information that indicates whether an accounting process has been completed, in response to a restoration of a communication enabled state at the acquisition information apparatus after a communication with the attribute information providing apparatus was interrupted at a time of receiving contents attribute information at the acquisition information apparatus, the contents attribute information being transmitted from the attribute information providing apparatus as a result of a transmission of an attribute request for the contents attribute information to the attribute information providing apparatus; and

a transmission unit configured to transmit the accounting status notification information corresponding to the received notification request to the acquisition information apparatus.