Group admission system and server and client therefor
First Claim
1. A client device for joining a group by registering with a server that belongs to the group, the group being a range within which contents are available, the client device including a processor comprising:
- a judging unit that judges whether a total number of groups that the client device is currently registered to be in is less than a maximum number of groups that the client device is permitted to be in, when the client device attempts to join the group to be connected to the server, wherein the judging unit selects a server from among a plurality of servers belonging to the group based on at least one of a set of predetermined conditions including a distance to the client device, a time period taken to communicate with the client device, a performance capability and a processing state of each server;
a communicating unit that (i) transmits to the server information unique to the client device, and receives from the server identification information identifying the group to which the server belongs when the total number of groups is less than the maximum number of groups that the client device is permitted to be in, and (ii) prevents transmission of the unique information to the server when the total number of groups is equal to or greater than the maximum number of groups; and
a registering unit that registers the received identification information in the client device, wherein the registering unit monitors expiration of a valid period and deletes the identification information upon the expiration of the valid period.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a group admission system having a client and a server that belongs to a closed group within which contents are available. The client determines whether it is permissible to request to join the group to be a member device thereof based on the number of groups that the client is in and the maximum number of groups that the client is permitted to be in. If permissible, the client transmits a registration request to the server with information unique to the client. The server determines whether to permit the client to join the group by registering with the server based on the number of member devices registered with the server and the maximum number of member devices registerable with the server. If it is permitted, the server registers the unique information, and transmits group identification information to the client. The client receives and stores the group identification information.
62 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A client device for joining a group by registering with a server that belongs to the group, the group being a range within which contents are available, the client device including a processor comprising:
-
a judging unit that judges whether a total number of groups that the client device is currently registered to be in is less than a maximum number of groups that the client device is permitted to be in, when the client device attempts to join the group to be connected to the server, wherein the judging unit selects a server from among a plurality of servers belonging to the group based on at least one of a set of predetermined conditions including a distance to the client device, a time period taken to communicate with the client device, a performance capability and a processing state of each server; a communicating unit that (i) transmits to the server information unique to the client device, and receives from the server identification information identifying the group to which the server belongs when the total number of groups is less than the maximum number of groups that the client device is permitted to be in, and (ii) prevents transmission of the unique information to the server when the total number of groups is equal to or greater than the maximum number of groups; and a registering unit that registers the received identification information in the client device, wherein the registering unit monitors expiration of a valid period and deletes the identification information upon the expiration of the valid period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 22, 23)
-
-
16. A group admission system in which a client device joins a group by registering with a server that belongs to the group, the group being a range within which contents are available, the group admission system including a processor comprising:
-
a first restricting unit in the client device that determines whether it is permissible for the client device to request to join the group based on a total number of groups that the client device is currently registered to be in and a maximum number of groups that the client is permitted to be in, by judging whether the total number of groups that the client device is currently registered to be in is less than the maximum number of groups the client device is permitted to be in, when the client device attempts to join the group to be connected to the server, wherein the first restricting unit selects a server from among a plurality of servers belonging to the group based on at least one of a set of predetermined conditions including a distance to the client device, a time period taken to communicate with the client device, a performance capability and a processing state of each server; and a communicating unit in the client device, the communicating unit (i) transmits to the server information unique to the client device, and receives from the server identification information identifying the group to which the server belongs when the first restricting unit judges that the total number of groups is less than the maximum number of groups the client device is permitted to be in, and (ii) prevents transmission of the unique information to the server when the total number of groups is equal to or greater than the maximum number of groups. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
-
18. A client device for joining a group by registering with a server that belongs to the group, the group being a range within which contents are available, the client device including a processor comprising:
-
a judging unit that judges whether a total number of groups that the client device is currently registered to be in is less than a maximum number of groups that the client device is permitted to be in, when the client device attempts to join the group to be connected to the server and the group is other than any group that the client device is currently registered to be in, wherein the judging unit selects a server from among a plurality of servers belonging to the group based on at least one of a set of predetermined conditions including a distance to the client device, a time period taken to communicate with the client device, a performance capability and a processing state of each server; a communicating unit that (i) transmits to the server information unique to the client device, and receives from the server identification information identifying the group to which the server belongs when the total number of groups is less than the maximum number of groups that the client device is permitted to be in, and (ii) prevents transmission of the unique information to the server when the total number of groups is equal to or greater than the maximum number of groups; and a registering unit that registers the received identification information in the client device, wherein the registering unit monitors expiration of a valid period and deletes the identification information upon the expiration of the valid period. - View Dependent Claims (21)
-
-
19. A client device that joins a group associated with a server and receiving content from the server, by registering in the server unique information identifying the client device, the client device including a processor comprising:
-
a storage unit that stores a number of groups that currently register the client device and a maximum number of groups that are permitted to register the client device; a judging unit that judges whether the number of groups that currently register the client device is less than the maximum number of groups that are permitted to register the client device, when the client device attempts to register the unique information identifying the client device in a predetermined server other than servers that currently register the unique information identifying the client device, wherein the judging unit selects a server from among a plurality of servers belonging to the group based on at least one of a set of predetermined conditions including a distance to the client device, a time period taken to communicate with the client device, a performance capability and a processing state of each server; and a communicating unit that transmits to the predetermined server the unique information identifying the client device for the registration of the unique information in the predetermined server, when it is judged that the number of groups that currently register the client device is less than the maximum number of the groups that are permitted to register the client device.
-
-
24. A method for a client device of joining a group by registering with a server including a processor that belongs to the group, the group being a range within which contents are available, the method comprising:
-
judging, in a judging unit, whether a total number of groups that the client device is currently registered to be in is less than a maximum number of groups that the client device is permitted to be in, when the client device attempts to join the group to be connected to the server, wherein a server is selected, by the judging unit, from among a plurality of servers belonging to the group based on at least one of a set of predetermined conditions including a distance to the client device, a time period taken to communicate with the client device, a performance capability and a processing state of each server; transmitting to the server information unique to the client device, and receiving from the server identification information identifying the group to which the server belongs when the total number of groups is less than the maximum number of groups that the client device is permitted to be in; preventing transmission of the unique information to the server when the total number of groups is equal to or greater than the maximum number of groups; and registering the received identification information in the client device, wherein an expiration of a valid period is monitored and the identification information is deleted upon the expiration of the valid period.
-
-
25. A method for a group admission system in which a client device joins a group by registering with a server including a processor that belongs to the group, the group being a range within which contents are available, the method comprising:
-
determining, in a first restricting unit of the client device, whether it is permissible for the client device to request to join the group based on a total number of groups that the client device is currently registered to be in and a maximum number of groups that the client is permitted to be in, by judging whether the total number of groups that the client device is currently registered to be in is less than the maximum number of groups the client device is permitted to be in, when the client device attempts to join the group to be connected to the server, wherein a server is selected, by the first restricting unit, from among a plurality of servers belonging to the group based on at least one of a set of predetermined conditions including a distance to the client device, a time period taken to communicate with the client device, a performance capability and a processing state of each server; transmitting to the server information unique to the client device, and receiving from the server identification information identifying the group to which the server belongs when it is judged that the total number of groups is less than the maximum number of groups the client device is permitted to be in; and preventing transmission of the unique information to the server when the total number of groups is equal to or greater than the maximum number of groups.
-
-
26. A method for a client device of joining a group by registering with a server including a processor that belongs to the group, the group being a range within which contents are available, the method comprising:
-
judging, in a judging unit, whether a total number of groups that the client device is currently registered to be in is less than a maximum number of groups that the client device is permitted to be in, when the client device attempts to join the group to be connected to the server and the group is other than any group that the client device is currently registered to be in, wherein a server is selected, by the judging unit, from among a plurality of servers belonging to the group based on at least one of a set of predetermined conditions including a distance to the client device, a time period taken to communicate with the client device, a performance capability and a processing state of each server; transmitting to the server information unique to the client device, and receiving from the server identification information identifying the group to which the server belongs when the total number of groups is less than the maximum number of groups that the client device is permitted to be in; preventing transmission of the unique information to the server when the total number of groups is equal to or greater than the maximum number of groups; and registering the received identification information in the client device, wherein the expiration of a valid period is monitored and the identification information is deleted upon the expiration of the valid period.
-
-
27. A method for a client device that joins a group associated with a server and receiving content from the server including a processor by registering in the server unique information identifying the client device, the method comprising:
-
storing, in a storage unit, a number of groups that currently register the client device and a maximum number of groups that are permitted to register the client device; judging, in a judging unit, whether the number of groups that currently register the client device is less than the maximum number of groups that are permitted to register the client device, when the client device attempts to register the unique information identifying the client device in a predetermined server other than servers that currently register the unique information identifying the client device, wherein a server the is selected, by the judging unit, from among a plurality of servers belonging to the group based on at least one of a set of predetermined conditions including a distance to the client device, a time period taken to communicate with the client device, a performance capability and a processing state of each server; and transmitting to the predetermined server the unique information identifying the client device for the registration of the unique information in the predetermined server, when it is judged that the number of groups that currently register the client device is less than the maximum number of the groups that are permitted to register the client device.
-
-
28. A method for a group admission system in which a client device joins a group by registering with a server that belongs to the group, the group being a range within which contents are available, the method comprising:
-
in a client device including a processor, storing, in a storage unit, a number of groups that currently register the client device and a maximum number of groups that are permitted to register the client device; judging, in a judging unit, whether a total number of groups that the client device is currently registered to be in is less than a maximum number of groups that the client device is permitted to be in, when the client device attempts to join the group to be connected to the server, wherein a server is selected, by the judging unit, from among a plurality of servers belonging to the group based on at least one of a set of predetermined conditions including a distance to the client device, a time period taken to communicate with the client device, a performance capability and a processing state of each server; transmitting to the server information unique to the client device, and receiving from the server identification information identifying the group to which the server belongs when the total number of groups is less than the maximum number of groups that the client device is permitted to be in; preventing transmission of the unique information to the server when the total number of groups is equal to or greater than the maximum number of groups; and registering the received identification information in the client device, wherein an expiration of a valid period is monitored and the identification information is deleted upon the expiration of the valid period, and in a server device, supplying a content to member devices of a group belonging to the server; and determining, when the client device requests to join the group, whether to permit the client device to join the group by registering with the server device, the determination being made based on a number of member devices registered with the server device and a maximum number of member devices registerable with the server device.
-
Specification