Server, terminal apparatus, device registering system, registering method, registering program and recording medium

• US 8,510,421 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2005
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuzaki, Natsume, Usuki, Naoshi, Iitsuka, Hiroyuki, Yamauchi, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Dhairya A
• Application Number:
  US10/584,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20090132705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,141 Days
• Field of Search: 709/221, 709/223, 709/225, 709/227, 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

A system including a server holding content and a terminal using the content, whereby the terminal is registered in the server if a communication time between the terminal and the server is less than or equal to a reference value. A measuring unit of the server measures a communication time from transmitting measuring information to the terminal until receiving response information from the terminal, and repeats the transmission, the reception, and the measurement until the measured communication time is less than or equal to the reference value. An elapsed-time measuring unit measures an elapsed time from when the measuring unit first begins measuring the communication time, and a transmission unit transmits, to the terminal, status notification information showing a processing status depending on the elapsed time. A response unit of the terminal receives measuring information from the server and transmits response information to the server when the measuring information is received.

Claims

1. A server comprising:

a memory storing a program; and

a processor operable to execute the program,

wherein the processor, when executing the program, operates as;

a content storage unit storing content;

a registration unit in which a terminal apparatus permitted to use the content is registered;

a packet transmission unit, upon receiving a registration request for using the content from an unregistered terminal apparatus via a network, transmitting a measuring packet to the unregistered terminal apparatus via the network;

a measured value check unit receiving, from the unregistered terminal apparatus, a response packet in response to the measuring packet, and comparing a measured value with a predetermined reference measurement value, the measured value indicating a length of time from the transmission of the measuring packet by the packet transmission unit to the receipt of the response packet by the measured value check unit;

a registration processing unit, (a) when the measured value is smaller than the predetermined reference measurement value, registering the unregistered terminal apparatus in the registration unit, and (b) when the measured value is larger than or equal to the predetermined reference measurement value, causing the packet transmission unit to newly transmit the measuring packet to the unregistered terminal apparatus, and register the unregistered terminal apparatus in the registration unit when the measured value for the newly transmitted measuring packet is smaller than the predetermined reference measurement value;

a processing status storage unit storing time segments and status notification information pieces in one-to-one correspondence, the time segments being obtained by dividing a time elapsed from the packet transmission unit receiving the registration request; and

a notification unit, when the measured value is larger than or equal to the predetermined reference measurement value, and when the time elapsed from the packet transmission unit receiving the registration request exceeds any of the obtained time segments, notifying the terminal apparatus of a stored status notification information piece, of the stored status notification information pieces, corresponding to the obtained time segment exceeded by the time elapsed from the packet transmission unit receiving the registration request,

wherein the registration processing unit, (a) when registering the unregistered terminal apparatus in the registration unit, sets a validity period of the registration of the unregistered terminal apparatus being registered, (b) when receiving the registration request from the registered terminal apparatus within the set validity period, causes the packet transmission unit to transmit the measuring packet to the registered terminal apparatus, (c) when the measured value is smaller than another reference measurement value, performs extension processing to extend the set validity period, and (d) when the measured value is larger than or equal to the other reference measurement value, causes the packet transmission unit to newly transmit the measuring packet to the registered terminal apparatus and performs the extension processing to extend the set validity period when the measured value for the newly transmitted measuring packet is smaller than the other reference measurement value.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the other reference measurement value is larger than the predetermined reference measurement value.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein the registration processing unit counts an extension count that is a number of times the extension processing has been performed, and lengthens a period of extension of the set validity period as the extension count increases.

4. The server of claim 1,

wherein the server further comprises an idle-time management unit detecting an idle time when either transmission of the content or a registration check before the transmission of the content is not being performed, and

wherein the registration processing unit performs the extension processing during the idle time.

5. The server of claim 1, wherein the registration processing unit prioritizes performing the extension processing over other processing when a remaining duration of the set validity period is less than a preset value.

6. An apparatus registration system including:

a server storing content; and

an unregistered terminal apparatus for using the content,

wherein the server comprises;

a content storage unit storing the content;

a registration unit in which a terminal apparatus permitted to use the content is registered;

a packet transmission unit configured, upon receiving a registration request for using the content from the unregistered terminal apparatus via a network, to transmit a measuring packet to the unregistered terminal apparatus via the network;

a measured value check unit configured to receive, from the unregistered terminal apparatus, a response packet in response to the measuring packet, and configured to compare a measured value with a predetermined reference measurement value, the measured value indicating a length of time from the transmission of the measuring packet by the packet transmission unit to the receipt of the response packet by the measured value check unit;

a registration processing unit configured, (a) when the measured value is smaller than the predetermined reference measurement value, to register the unregistered terminal apparatus in the registration unit, and (b) when the measured value is larger than or equal to the predetermined reference measurement value, to cause the packet transmission unit to newly transmit the measuring packet to the unregistered terminal apparatus, and register the unregistered terminal apparatus in the registration unit when the measured value for the newly transmitted measuring packet is smaller than the predetermined reference measurement value;

a processing status storage unit storing time segments and status notification information pieces in one-to-one correspondence, the time segments being obtained by dividing a time elapsed from the packet transmission unit receiving the registration request; and

a notification unit configured, when the measured value is larger than or equal to the predetermined reference measurement value, and when the time elapsed from the packet transmission unit receiving the registration request exceeds any of the obtained time segments, to notify the terminal apparatus of a stored status notification information piece, of the stored status notification information pieces, corresponding to the obtained time segment exceeded by the time elapsed from the packet transmission unit receiving the registration request,

wherein the unregistered terminal apparatus comprises;

a communication processing unit configured to transmit the registration request to the server;

a packet communication unit configured to receive the measuring packet from the server and transmit the response packet to the server; and

a display unit configured to display a message based on the status notification information piece notified by the server, and

wherein the registration processing unit, (a) when registering the unregistered terminal apparatus in the registration unit, sets a validity period of the registration of the unregistered terminal apparatus being registered, (b) when receiving the registration request from the registered terminal apparatus within the set validity period, causes the packet transmission unit to transmit the measuring packet to the registered terminal apparatus, (c) when the measured value is smaller than another reference measurement value, performs extension processing to extend the set validity period, and (d) when the measured value is larger than or equal to the other reference measurement value, causes the packet transmission unit to newly transmit the measuring packet to the registered terminal apparatus and performs the extension processing to extend the set validity period when the measured value for the newly transmitted measuring packet is smaller than the other reference measurement value.

7. An apparatus registration method performed by a server,

wherein the server includes a processor configured to operate as:

a content storage unit;

a registration unit;

a packet transmission unit;

a measured value check unit;

a registration processing unit;

a processing status storage unit; and

a notification unit,

wherein the apparatus registration method comprises;

a content storage step of storing content via the content storage unit;

a registration step of registering, via the registration unit, a terminal apparatus permitted to use the content;

a packet transmission step of, upon receiving a registration request for using the content stored in the content storage unit from an unregistered terminal apparatus via a network, transmitting, via the packet transmission unit, a measuring packet to the unregistered terminal apparatus via the network;

a measured value check step of receiving, via the measured value check unit and from the unregistered terminal apparatus, a response packet in response to the measuring packet, and of comparing, via the measured value check unit, a measured value with a predetermined reference measurement value, the measured value indicating a length of time from the transmission of the measuring packet by the packet transmission step to the receipt of the response packet by the measured value check step;

a registration processing step of, (a) when the measured value is smaller than the predetermined reference measurement value, registering, via the registration processing unit, the unregistered terminal apparatus in the registration unit, and (b) when the measured value is larger than or equal to the predetermined reference measurement value, causing, via the registration processing unit, the packet transmission step to newly transmit the measuring packet to the unregistered terminal apparatus, and registering, via the registration processing unit, the unregistered terminal apparatus in the registration unit when the measured value for the newly transmitted measuring packet is smaller than the predetermined reference measurement value;

a processing status storage step of storing, via the processing status storage unit, time segments and status notification information pieces in one-to-one correspondence, the time segments being obtained by dividing a time elapsed from the packet transmission step receiving the registration request; and

a notification step of, when the measured value is larger than or equal to the predetermined reference measurement value, and when the time elapsed from the packet transmission step receiving the registration request exceeds any of the obtained time segments, notifying, via the notification unit, the terminal apparatus of a stored status notification information piece, of the stored status notification information pieces, corresponding to the obtained time segment exceeded by the time elapsed from the packet transmission step receiving the registration request, and

wherein the registration processing step, (a) when registering the unregistered terminal apparatus in the registration unit, sets, via the registration processing unit, the validity period of the registration of the unregistered terminal apparatus being registered, (b) when receiving the registration request from the registered terminal apparatus within the set validity period, causes, via the registration processing unit, the packet transmission step to transmit the measuring packet to the registered terminal apparatus, (c) when the measured value is smaller than the other reference measurement value, performs, via the registration processing unit, the extension processing to extend the set validity period, and (d) when the measured value is larger than or equal to the other reference measurement value, causes, via the registration processing unit, the packet transmission step to newly transmit the measuring packet to the registered terminal apparatus and performs, via the registration processing unit, the extension processing to extend the set validity period when the measured value for the newly transmitted measuring packet is smaller than the other reference measurement value.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a registration program recorded thereon, the registration program being used in a server,

wherein the server is a computer,

wherein the registration program causes the server to execute a method comprising:

a content storage step of storing content in a content storage unit;

a registration step of registering, in a registration unit, a terminal apparatus permitted to use the content;

a packet transmission step of, upon receiving a registration request for using the content stored in the content storage unit from an unregistered terminal apparatus via a network, transmitting a measuring packet to the unregistered terminal apparatus via the network;

a measured value check step of receiving, from the unregistered terminal apparatus, a response packet in response to the measuring packet, and of comparing a measured value with a predetermined reference measurement value, the measured value indicating a length of time from the transmission of the measuring packet by the packet transmission step to the receipt of the response packet by the measured value check step;

a registration processing step of, (a) when the measured value is smaller than the predetermined reference measurement value, registering the unregistered terminal apparatus in the registration unit, and (b) when the measured value is larger than or equal to the predetermined reference measurement value, causing the packet transmission step to newly transmit the measuring packet to the unregistered terminal apparatus, and registering the unregistered terminal apparatus in the registration unit when the measured value for the newly transmitted measuring packet is smaller than the predetermined reference measurement value;

a processing status storage step of storing time segments and status notification information pieces in one-to-one correspondence, the time segments being obtained by dividing a time elapsed from the packet transmission step receiving the registration request; and

a notification step of, when the measured value is larger than or equal to the predetermined reference measurement value, and when the time elapsed from the packet transmission step receiving the registration request exceeds any of the obtained time segments, notifying the terminal apparatus of a stored status notification information piece, of the stored status notification information pieces, corresponding to the obtained time segment exceeded by the time elapsed from the packet transmission step receiving the registration request, and

wherein the registration processing step, (a) when registering the unregistered terminal apparatus in the registration unit, sets the validity period of the registration of the unregistered terminal apparatus being registered, (b) when receiving the registration request from the registered terminal apparatus within the set validity period, causes the packet transmission step to transmit the measuring packet to the registered terminal apparatus, (c) when the measured value is smaller than the other reference measurement value, performs the extension processing to extend the set validity period, and (d) when the measured value is larger than or equal to the other reference measurement value, causes the packet transmission step to newly transmit the measuring packet to the registered terminal apparatus and performs, via the registration processing unit, the extension processing to extend the set validity period when the measured value for the newly transmitted measuring packet is smaller than the other reference measurement value.