Information-processing apparatus, server, information communication system, information-processing method, information providing method, and computer storage medium

• US 8,438,242 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kishimoto, Toyoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAW, PETER C
• Application Number:
  US11/439,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20060212546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,541 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/225, 709/211, 709/224, 711/165, 711/169
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5016 the resource being the memory

Abstract

The object of the invention is to provide the user with improved operatability of an information-processing apparatus and usability of application programs as well as to implement rendering of services to download the application programs from a server to the information-processing apparatus. If storage means employed in the information-processing apparatus does not contain a free area with a storage size large enough for accommodating a desired application program and a data file relevant thereto to be downloaded from the server, an information communication system comprising the information-processing apparatus and the server automatically transfers application programs and data files from the storage means to an external recording medium such as the server itself to be saved therein in order to secure a free storage area in the storage means. The free storage area is used for storing a desired application program and a relevant data file which are to be downloaded from the server.

Claims

1. An information-processing apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing data files;

communication means for communicating data with an external server apparatus; and

control means for controlling said communication means and said storage means for storing new data downloaded from said server apparatus via said communication means, if said storage means has free storage area left in which said new data is allowed to be recorded,

wherein each data file stored in the storage means is associated with a first attribute indicating whether the data file is transferred to the external server apparatus and is saved in the external server apparatus,

wherein each data file stored in the storage means is associated with a second attribute indicating whether the data file is temporarily installed in the information-processing apparatus and needs to be deleted after a use of the data file,

wherein if said storage means has no free storage area for recording said new data, the control means selects, based on an activation history, a data file stored in said storage means and transfers said selected data file to the external server apparatus via said communication means in order to allocate free storage area in said storage means, and then the control means records said new data from said server apparatus in said storage means; and

then the control means deletes an active data file from said storage means in order to restore said transferred data file from the external server apparatus to said storage means if said data file saved in the external server apparatus exists at completion of use of said active data file downloaded from said server; and

further comprising charging means for carrying out a charging process to request a user of said information processing apparatus to pay a cost for downloading said new data.

2. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

activation-history management means for storing information on the activation history for each data file and for updating said information on the activation history for a specific data file upon activation of said specific data file.

3. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storage means is a non-volatile storage area.

4. A server apparatus comprising:

communication means for carrying out communications of data;

downloaded-data storage means for storing a variety of data files to be downloaded;

saved-data storage means; and

control means for controlling said communication means, said downloaded-data storage means, and said saved-data storage means;

wherein each data file stored in the saved-data storage means is associated with a first attribute indicating whether the data file is transferred to the server apparatus and is saved in the server apparatus,

wherein when said server receives a download request from an information processing apparatus connected to said server apparatus via said communication means, said control means transmits a first data file stored in said downloaded-data storage means to storage means of said information processing apparatus, and when said server apparatus receives a saving request from said information apparatus, said control means stores a second data file transmitted from said storage means of said information processing apparatus in said saved-data storage means as saved data; and

wherein when a storage means in said information processing apparatus has no free storage area left in which the first data file is allowed to be recorded, a data file stored in said storage means in said information processing apparatus is selected based on an activation history and is saved to the external server apparatus via said communication means in order to allocate free storage area in said storage means in said information processing apparatus and then said first data file transmitted from said server apparatus is recorded in said storage means,

wherein each data file stored in the saved-data storage means is associated with a second attribute indicating whether the data file is temporarily installed in the information processing apparatus in the storage means of the information processing apparatus and needs to be deleted from the storage means after a use of the data file, and

wherein an active data file from said storage means is deleted in order to restore said transferred data file from the external server apparatus to said storage means of the information processing apparatus if said data file saved in the external server apparatus exists at completion of use of said active data file downloaded from said server; and

further comprising

charging means for carrying out a charging process to request a user of said information processing apparatus to pay a cost for transmitting the first data file on the basis of the download request made by said information processing apparatus, and a cost for storing the second data file on the basis of the saving request made by said information processing apparatus.

5. An information communication system including an information-processing apparatus and a server apparatus connected to said information-processing apparatus in a state of being able to exchange data with said information-processing apparatus,

said information-processing apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing data files;

communication means for communicating data with said server apparatus; and

control means for controlling said communication means and said storage means for storing new data downloaded from said server apparatus via said communication means,

wherein each data file stored in the storage means is associated with a first attribute indicating whether the data file is transferred to the external server apparatus and is saved in the external server apparatus,

wherein each data file stored in the storage means is associated with a second attribute indicating whether the data file is temporarily installed in the information-processing apparatus and needs to be deleted after a use of the data file,

wherein if said storage means has free storage area remaining in which said new data is allowed to be recorded;

the control means selects, based on an activation history, a data file stored in said storage means and transfers said selected data file to the server apparatus via said communication means,

wherein if said storage means has no free storage area for recording said new data in order to allocate free storage area in said storage means, and then recording said new data from said server apparatus in said storage means, the control means deletes an active data file from said storage means in order to restore said transferred data file from the server apparatus to said storage means if said data file saved in the server apparatus exists at completion of use of said active data file downloaded from said server apparatus,

said server apparatus comprising;

communication means for carrying out communications of data;

downloaded-data storage means for storing a variety of data files to be downloaded;

saved-data storage means; and

server control means for controlling said communication means, said downloaded-data storage means, and said saved-data storage means;

wherein when said server apparatus receives a download request from said information processing apparatus, said server control means transmits a first data file stored in said downloaded-data storage means to said information processing apparatus, and when said server apparatus receives a saving request from said information processing apparatus, said server control means stores a second data file transmitted from said information processing apparatus in said saved-data storage means as saved data, and an active data file is deleted from said storage means in order to restore said transferred data file from the server apparatus to said storage means if said data file saved in the server apparatus exists at completion of use of said active data file downloaded from said server; and

further comprising

charging means for carrying out a charging process to request a user of said information processing apparatus to pay a cost for transmitting the first data file on the basis of the download request made by said information processing apparatus, and a cost for storing the second data file on the basis of the saving request made by said information processing apparatus.

6. An information-processing method comprising the steps of:

storing data files in storage means;

communicating data with an external server;

storing new data downloaded from said server if there is free storage area left for storing said new data;

selecting, based on an activation history, a data file for transferring said selected data file to the external server if there is not free storage area for recording said new data in order to allocate a free storage area;

storing said new data from said server;

deleting an active data file from said storage means in order to restore said transferred data file from the external server to said storage means if said data file saved in the external server exists at completion of use of said active data file downloaded from said external server, and

carrying out a charging process to request a user of said information processing apparatus to pay a cost for downloading said new data;

wherein each data file stored in the storing step is associated with a first attribute indicating whether the data file is transferred to the server apparatus and is saved in the external server, and

wherein each data file stored in the storage means is associated with a second attribute indicating whether the data file is temporarily installed in the information-processing apparatus and needs to be deleted after a use of the data file.

7. The information-processing method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

storing information on the activation history for each data file and updating said information on the activation history for a specific data file upon activation of said specific data file.

8. An information providing method comprising the steps of:

carrying out communications of data;

storing a variety of data files to be downloaded;

transmitting a first data file to be downloaded from an external server apparatus to storage means of an information processing apparatus in response to a download request from said information processing apparatus, and storing a second data file transmitted from said information processing apparatus when a saving request is received from said information processing apparatus;

wherein the second data file is associated with a first attribute indicating whether the data file is transferred from the information processing apparatus,

wherein the second data file stored is associated with a second attribute indicating whether the data file is temporarily installed in the information-processing apparatus in the storage means of the information processing apparatus and needs to be deleted after a use of the second data file,

selecting a data file, based on an activation history, for saving in the external server apparatus when no free storage area is left for storing said second data file, thereby allocating a free storage area;

transmitting said first data file to said information processing apparatus for storing at said information processing apparatus;

deleting an active data file from said storage means in order to restore said transferred data file from the external server apparatus to said storage means if said data file saved in the external server apparatus exists at completion of use of said active data file downloaded from said server; and

carrying out a charging process to request a user of said information processing apparatus to pay a cost for transmitting the first data file on the basis of the download request made by said information processing apparatus, and a cost for storing the second data file on the basis of the saving request made by said information processing apparatus.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having an information processing program stored therein that when executed causes a processing device to perform the steps of:

storing data files, comprising electronic representations of data;

communicating data with an external server apparatus;

storing new data, the new data being an electronic representation, downloaded from said server apparatus if there is free storage area left for storing said new data;

wherein each data file stored in the storing step is associated with a first attribute indicating whether the data file is transferred to the external server apparatus and is saved in the external server apparatus,

wherein each data file stored in the storing step is associated with a second attribute indicating whether the data file is temporarily installed in the processing device and needs to be deleted after a use of the data file,

selecting, based on an activation history, a data file for transferring said selected data file to the external server apparatus if there is no free storage area for recording said new data in order to allocate free storage area;

storing said new data from said server apparatus;

deleting an active data file from said storage means in order to restore said transferred data file from the external server apparatus to said storage means if said data file saved in the external server apparatus exists at completion of use of said active data file downloaded from said server; and

carrying out a charging process to request a user of said information processing apparatus to pay a cost for downloading said new data.

10. The computer-readable storage medium having the information-processing program according to claim 9, to cause the processing device to perform the further steps of:

storing information on the activation history for each data file and updating said information on the activation history for a specific data file upon activation of said specific data file.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having an information processing program stored therein that when executed causes a processing device to perform the steps of:

carrying out communications of data, the data being an electronic representation of data;

storing a variety of data files to be downloaded;

transmitting a first data file to be downloaded from an external sever apparatus to storage means of an information processing apparatus in response to a download request from said information processing apparatus, and storing a second data file transmitted from said information processing apparatus when a saving request is received from said information processing apparatus;

wherein the second data file is associated with a first attribute indicating whether the data file is transferred from the information processing apparatus,

wherein the second data file is associated with a second attribute indicating whether the data file is temporarily installed in the information-processing apparatus in the storage means of the information processing apparatus and needs to be deleted after a use of the second data file,

selecting a data file, based on an activation history, for saving in the external server apparatus when no free storage area is left for storing said second data file, thereby allocating free storage area;

transmitting said first data file to said information processing apparatus for storing at said information processing apparatus;

deleting an active data file from said storage means in order to restore said transferred data file from the external server apparatus to said storage means if said data file saved in the external server apparatus exists at completion of use of said active data file downloaded from said server; and

carrying out a charging process to request a user of said information processing apparatus to pay a cost for transmitting the first data file on the basis of the download request made by said information processing apparatus, and a cost for storing the second data file on the basis of the saving request made by said information processing apparatus.

12. An information-processing apparatus comprising:

a storage unit that stores data files;

a communication unit that communicates data with an external server apparatus; and

a control unit that controls said communication unit and said storage unit for storing new data downloaded from said external server apparatus via said communication unit,

wherein each data file stored in the storage unit is associated with a first attribute indicating whether the data file is transferred to the external server apparatus and is saved in the external server apparatus,

wherein each data file stored in the storage unit is associated with a second attribute indicating whether the data file is temporarily installed in the information-processing apparatus and needs to be deleted after a use of the data file,

wherein if said storage unit has free storage area left in which said new data is allowed to be recorded;

the control unit selects, based on an activation history, a data file stored in said storage unit and transfers said selected data file to the external server apparatus via said communication unit,

wherein if said storage unit has no free storage area for recording said new data in order to allocate free storage area in said storage unit, and then recording said new data from said server apparatus in said storage unit;

the control unit deletes an active data file from said storage unit in order to restore said transferred data file from the external server apparatus to said storage unit if said data file saved in the external server apparatus exists at completion of use of said active data file downloaded from said server; and

further comprising charging means for carrying out a charging process to request a user of said information processing apparatus to pay a cost for downloading said new data.

13. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

an activation-history management unit that stores information on the activation history for each data file and for updating said information on the activation history for a specific data file upon activation of said specific data file.

14. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said storage unit is a non-volatile storage area.

15. A server apparatus comprising:

a communication unit that carries out communications of data;

a downloaded-data storage unit that stores a variety of data files to be downloaded;

a saved-data storage unit; and

a control unit that controls said communication unit, said downloaded-data storage unit, and said saved-data storage unit;

wherein each data file stored in the saved-data storage unit is associated with a first attribute indicating whether the data file is transferred to the server apparatus and is saved in the server apparatus,

wherein when said server receives a download request from an information processing apparatus connected to said server apparatus via said communication unit, said control unit transmits a first data file stored in said downloaded-data storage unit to a storage unit of said information processing apparatus, and when said server apparatus receives a saving request from said information apparatus, said control unit stores a second data file transmitted from said information processing apparatus in said saved-data storage unit as saved data; and

wherein when a storage unit in said information processing apparatus has no free storage area left in which the first data file is allowed to be recorded, a data file stored in said storage unit in said information processing apparatus and selected based on an activation history is saved to the server apparatus via said communication unit in order to allocate free storage area in said storage unit in said information processing apparatus and then said first data file transmitted from said server apparatus is recorded in said storage unit,

wherein each data file stored in the saved-data storage unit is associated with a second attribute indicating whether the data file is temporarily installed in the information-processing apparatus in the storage unit of the information processing apparatus and needs to be deleted after a use of the data file,

wherein an active data file from said storage unit is deleted in order to restore said transferred data file from the server apparatus to said storage unit if said data file saved in the server apparatus exists at completion of use of said active data file downloaded from said server; and

further comprising a charging unit for carrying out a charging process to request a user of said information processing apparatus to pay a cost for transmitting the first data file on the basis of the download request made by said information processing apparatus, and a cost for storing the second data file on the basis of the saving request made by said information processing apparatus.

16. An information communication system including an information-processing apparatus and a server apparatus connected to said information-processing apparatus in a state of being able to exchange data with said information-processing apparatus,

said information-processing apparatus comprising:

a storage unit that stores data files;

a communication unit that communicates data with said server apparatus; and

a control unit that controls said communication unit and said storage unit for storing new data downloaded from said server apparatus via said communication unit,

wherein each data file stored in the storage unit is associated with a first attribute indicating whether the data file is transferred to the server apparatus and is saved in the server apparatus,

wherein each data file stored in the storage unit is associated with a second attribute indicating whether the data file is temporarily installed in the information-processing apparatus and needs to be deleted after a use of the data file,

wherein if said storage unit has free storage area remaining in which said new data is allowed to be recorded;

the control unit selects, based on an activation history, a data file stored in said storage unit and transfers said selected data file to an external recording medium via said communication unit,

wherein if said storage unit has no free storage area for recording said new data in order to allocate free storage area in said storage unit, and then recording said new data from said server apparatus in said storage unit, the control unit deletes an active data file from said storage unit in order to restore said transferred data file from said external recording medium to said storage unit if said data file saved in said external recording medium exists at completion of use of said active data file downloaded from said server,

said server apparatus comprising;

a second communication unit that carries out communications of data;

a downloaded-data storage unit that stores a variety of data files to be downloaded;

a saved-data storage unit; and

a server control unit that controls said second communication unit, said downloaded-data storage unit, and said saved-data storage unit;

wherein when said server apparatus receives a download request from said information processing apparatus, said server control unit transmits a first data file stored in said downloaded-data storage unit to said information processing apparatus, and when said server apparatus receives a saving request from said information processing apparatus, said server control unit stores a second data file transmitted from said information processing apparatus in said saved-data storage unit as saved data, and an active data file is deleted from said storage unit in order to restore said transferred data file from the server apparatus to said storage unit if said data file saved in the server apparatus exists at completion of use of said active data file downloaded from said server apparatus; and

further comprising a charging unit that carries out a charging process to request a user of said information processing apparatus to pay a cost for transmitting the first data file on the basis of the download request made by said information processing apparatus, and a cost for storing the second data file on the basis of the saving request made by said information processing apparatus.