Content delivery system

• US 20030092427A1
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kurashima, Akihisa, Sakata, Kazuhiro, Ichimura, Shigehiro, Uematsu, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,567,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

In a content delivery system, a gatekeeping apparatus is connected to a network. Prior to the transmission of a request message to a content server, a user terminal transmits an enquiry message to the gatekeeping apparatus. In response, the gatekeeping apparatus makes a decision as to whether or not a content can be retrieved from the content server and performs control on the transmission of the request message according to the decision. If the decision indicates that a content can be retrieved, the user terminal transmits the request message to the content server. In a preferred embodiment, the gatekeeping apparatus makes comparison between user'"'"'s preference data and server'"'"'s policy data and determines whether the requested content can be retrieved from the server. A cache memory may be provided in the user terminal or gatekeeping apparatus to store past decisions regarding requested contents.

Claims

1. A content delivery system comprising:

a content server connected to a network;

a gatekeeping apparatus connected to said network; and

a user terminal for transmitting a first message to said gatekeeping apparatus and a second message to said content server for requesting a content therefrom,

wherein said gatekeeping apparatus is responsive to said first message for making a decision as to whether or not a content can be retrieved from said content server and performing control on the transmission of said second message according to said decision.

2. The content delivery system of claim 1, wherein said gatekeeping apparatus monitors status of said content server and performs said control according to the monitored status.

3. The content delivery system of claim 1, wherein said user terminal acquires parameter data required by said content server to generate said content if said decision indicates that said content can be retrieved, and formulates said second message with said parameter data.

4. The content delivery system of claim 1, wherein said gatekeeping apparatus makes said decision by comparing between policy data from said content server and preference data from said user terminal.

5. The content delivery system of claim 4, wherein said user terminal includes:

a cache memory; and

control circuitry for (a) making a search through said cache memory for detecting an indication of decision using an indicator of said content as a key prior to the transmission of said first message to the gatekeeping apparatus, (b) if said search fails, transmitting said first message to said gatekeeping apparatus and mapping an indication of said decision of said gatekeeping apparatus to the indicator of said content in said cache memory, and (c) if said search succeeds, acquiring said parameter data required by said content server to generate the content if the decision indication in said cache memory indicates that said content can be retrieved.

6. The content delivery system of claim 4, wherein said gatekeeping apparatus includes:

a cache memory; and

control circuitry for (a) making a search through the cache memory, when said first message is received, for detecting an indication of decision using a pair of an indicator of said content and an address of said user terminal as a key, (b) if said search fails, acquiring said policy data from said content server, making said decision by comparing the acquired policy data with said preference data and mapping an indication of the decision to said pair of the content'"'"'s indicator and the user terminal address in said cache memory, and (c) if said search succeeds, performing said control according to the decision indication in said cache memory.

7. The content delivery system of claim 4, wherein said gatekeeping apparatus transmits a notification message to said user terminal for indicating said policy data of the content server, and wherein said user terminal is responsive to said notification message by displaying the policy data contained in the notification message for asking a user to determine whether the policy data are acceptable and acquiring said parameter data according to the policy data if an acceptance indication is given by the user.

8. The content delivery system of claim 5, wherein said gatekeeping apparatus transmits a notification message to said user terminal for indicating said policy data of the content server, and wherein said user terminal is responsive to said notification message by displaying the policy data contained in the notification message for asking a user to determine whether the policy data are acceptable and acquiring said parameter data according to the policy data if an acceptance indication is given by the user.

9. The content delivery system of claim 6, wherein said gatekeeping apparatus transmits a notification message to said user terminal for indicating said policy data of the content server, and wherein said user terminal is responsive to said notification message by displaying the policy data contained in the notification message for asking a user to determine whether the policy data are acceptable and acquiring said parameter data according to the policy data if an acceptance indication is given by the user.

10. The content delivery system of claim 3, wherein said parameter data represents current location of the user terminal.

11. The content delivery system of claim 4, wherein said policy data and said preference data include information as to precision of said parameter data.

12. The content delivery system of claim 4, wherein said policy data and said preference data are described in P3P (Platform of Privacy Preferences Project) protocol.

13. A method of delivering contents via a communications network from a content server to a user terminal, comprising the steps of:

a) transmitting a first message from the user terminal to a gatekeeping apparatus;

b) receiving the first message at said gatekeeping apparatus and making a decision as to whether or not a content is retrievable from said content server;

c) transmitting a notification message from the gatekeeping apparatus to said user terminal for indicating said decision; and

d) receiving the notification message at said user terminal and transmitting a second message to said content server only if said decision indicates that said content is retrievable.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step (b) comprises the steps of monitoring status of said content server and making said decision according to the monitored status.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step (d) comprises the step of acquiring parameter data required by said content server to generate the content if said decision indicates that said content is retrievable, and formulating said second message with said parameter data.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step (b) comprises the step of making said decision by comparing between policy data from said content server and said preference data of said user terminal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step (a) comprises the steps of:

making a search through a cache memory prior to the transmission of said first message to the gatekeeping apparatus for detecting an indication of said decision using an indicator of said content as a key;

if said search fails, transmitting said first message to said gatekeeping apparatus and mapping the indication of said decision to the address of said content server in said cache memory; and

if said search succeeds, acquiring said parameter data according to said preference data if the decision indication in said cache memory indicates that said content can be retrieved.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step (b) comprises the steps of:

making a search through a cache memory in response to receipt of said first message from the user terminal for detecting an indication of decision using a pair of an indicator of said content and an address of said user terminal as a key;

if said search fails, acquiring said policy data from said content server, making said decision by comparing the acquired policy data with said preference data and mapping an indication of the decision to said pair of the content'"'"'s indicator and the user-terminal address in said cache memory; and

if said search succeeds, performing the step (c).

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step (c) further comprises the step of:

transmitting a further notification message from said gatekeeping apparatus to said user terminal for indicating said policy data of the content server,

wherein the step (d) comprises the steps of;

receiving said further notification message at said user terminal and displaying the policy data indicated in the further notification message for asking a user to determine whether the policy data is acceptable; and

acquiring said parameter data according to the policy data if an acceptance indication is given by the user.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step (c) further comprises the step of:

transmitting a further notification message from said gatekeeping apparatus to said user terminal for indicating said policy data of the content server,

wherein the step (d) comprises the steps of;

receiving said further notification message at said user terminal and displaying the policy data indicated in the further notification message for asking a user to determine whether the policy data is acceptable; and

acquiring said parameter data according to the policy data if an acceptance indication is given by the user.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the step (c) further comprises the step of:

transmitting a further notification message from said gatekeeping apparatus to said user terminal for indicating said policy data of the content server,

wherein the step (d) comprises the steps of;

receiving said further notification message at said user terminal and displaying the policy data indicated in the further notification message for asking a user to determine whether the policy data is acceptable; and

acquiring said parameter data according to the policy data if an acceptance indication is given by the user.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said parameter data represents current location of the user terminal.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said policy data and said preference data include information as to precision of said parameter data.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said policy data and said preference data are described in P3P (Platform of Privacy Preferences Project) protocol.

25. A gatekeeping apparatus for a content delivery system in which a user terminal and a content server are connected to each other via a communications network, comprising:

a line interface connected to said network; and

control circuitry for receiving a first message via said line interface from said user terminal containing a request for a content from said content server, making a decision as to whether or not said content can be retrieved from said content server and performing control on the transmission of a second message from said user terminal to said content server according to said decision.

26. The gatekeeping apparatus of claim 25, wherein said control circuitry monitors status of said content server and performs said control according to the monitored status.

27. The gatekeeping apparatus of claim 25, wherein said control circuitry makes said decision by comparing between policy data of said content server and preference data of said user terminal.

28. The gatekeeping apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a cache memory, wherein said control circuitry performs the functions of:

making a search through the cache memory, when said first message is received, for detecting an indication of decision using a pair of an indicator of said content and an address of said user terminal as a key;

if said search fails, acquiring said policy data from said content server, making said decision by comparing the acquired policy data with said preference data and mapping an indication of the decision to said pair of the content'"'"'s indicator and the user terminal address in said cache memory; and

if said search succeeds, performing said control according to the decision indication in said cache memory.

29. The gatekeeping apparatus of claim 27, wherein said control circuitry transmits a notification message to said user terminal for indicating said policy data of the content server for asking a user to determine whether the policy data are acceptable.

30. The gatekeeping apparatus of claim 28, wherein said control circuitry transmits a notification message to said user terminal for indicating said policy data of the content server for asking a user to determine whether the policy data are acceptable.

31. A gatekeeping method for a content delivery system in which a user terminal and a content server are connected to each other via a communications network, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a first message from said user terminal containing a request for a content from said content server;

b) making a decision as to whether or not said content can be retrieved from said content server; and

c) performing control on the transmission of a second message from said user terminal to said content server according to said decision.

32. The gatekeeping method of claim 31, wherein the step (a) comprises monitoring status of said content server and the step (c) comprises performing said control according to the monitored status.

33. The gatekeeping method of claim 32, wherein the step (b) comprises making said decision by comparing between policy data from said content server and preference data from said user terminal.

34. The gatekeeping method of claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

making a search through a cache memory, when said first message is received, for detecting an indication of decision using a pair of an indicator of said content and an address of said user terminal as a key;

if said search fails, acquiring said policy data from said content server, making said decision by comparing the acquired policy data with said preference data and mapping an indication of the decision to said pair of the content'"'"'s indicator and the user terminal address in said cache memory; and

if said search succeeds, performing the step (c) according to the decision indication in said cache memory.

35. The gatekeeping method of claim 33, further comprising the steps of transmitting a notification message to said user terminal for indicating said policy data of the content server for asking a user to determine whether the policy data are acceptable.

36. The gatekeeping method of claim 34, further comprising the steps of transmitting a notification message to said user terminal for indicating said policy data of the content server for asking a user to determine whether the policy data are acceptable.

37. A user terminal for a content delivery system, wherein the system includes a content server and a gatekeeping apparatus connected to each other via a communications network, and wherein said gatekeeping apparatus makes a decision as to whether or not a content can be retrieved from said content server by comparing between policy data of said content server and preference data of said user terminal, comprising:

a line interface connected to said network;

a cache memory; and

control circuitry for (a) making a search through said cache memory for detecting an indication of decision using an indicator of said content as a key prior to the transmission of said first message to the gatekeeping apparatus, (b) if said search fails, transmitting a first message to said gatekeeping apparatus via said line interface and mapping an indication of said decision of said gatekeeping apparatus to the indicator of said content in said cache memory, (c) if said search succeeds, acquiring parameter data required by said content server to generate said content if the decision indication in said cache memory indicates that said content can be retrieved and transmitting a second message containing the acquired parameter data to said content server for requesting said content.

38. A method of operating a user terminal of a content delivery system, wherein the system includes a content server and a gatekeeping apparatus connected to each other via a communications network, and wherein said gatekeeping apparatus makes a decision as to whether or not a content can be retrieved from said content server by comparing between policy data of said content server and preference data of said user terminal, comprising the steps of:

a) making a search through a cache memory for detecting an indication of a decision using an indicator of said content as a key prior to the transmission of said first message to the gatekeeping apparatus;

b) if said search fails, transmitting a first message to said gatekeeping apparatus and mapping an indication of said decision of said gatekeeping apparatus to the indicator of said content in said cache memory;

c) if said search succeeds, acquiring parameter data required by said content server to generate the content if the decision indication in said cache memory indicates that said content can be retrieved; and

d) transmitting a second message containing the acquired parameter data to said content server for requesting said content.