Information Processing Apparatus, Information Processing Method, and Transmitting Medium

• US 20080016231A1
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Kimiyoshi, Itabashi, Tatsuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,582 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 : Privileged access

Abstract

A method of managing personal information of a user wherein personal information of a user is provided to an information provider from any location, through a simple apparatus, and with reliability. Personal information is stored beforehand in a user profile database of a server. When the user accesses a service provider device from a terminal device through the server and the Internet, the service provider device requests the of that user. The server reads the requested personal information from the user profile database and transfers the personal information to the service provider device. This novel arrangement makes it unnecessary for the user to input the personal information on its own.

Claims

1. A method of managing personal information of a user in an information processing apparatus for processing information between a plurality of service providers and the user, wherein each of the plurality of service providers has a corresponding service provider device, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a request to perform a transaction with one of the plurality of service provider devices from a terminal device operated by the user;

extracting a manner and one or more items of personal information of the user corresponding to one of the plurality of service provider devices, wherein the manner is how to use personal information; and

sending the manner or the one or more items of personal information to the user to be displayed to the user to perform the transaction.

2. The method of managing personal information of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a confirmation reply from the user.

3. The method of managing personal information of claim 2, further comprising the step of performing the transaction on the basis of the confirmation reply from the user.

4. The method of managing personal information of claim 2, wherein the confirmation reply is selected by the user from a Yes button and a No button.

5. The method of managing personal information of claim 1, wherein the terminal device comprises a wireless device comprising one of a personal digital assistant, a mobile telephone, a personal handyphone, a pager, a laptop computer, and a handheld information processing device.

6. The method of managing personal information of claim 1, wherein the personal information comprises one or more of a user payment information, a user home address, a user e-mail address, a user telephone number, a user date of birth, a user age, a user gender, a user occupation, a user password, and a user ID.

7. A managing personal information processing apparatus for processing information between a plurality of service providers and a user, wherein each of the plurality of service providers has a corresponding service provider device, the managing personal information processing apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting a request to perform a transaction with one of the plurality of service provider devices from a terminal device operated by the user;

means for extracting a manner and one or more items of personal information of the user corresponding to one of the plurality of service provider devices, wherein the manner is how to use personal information; and

means for sending the manner or the one or more items of personal information to the user to be displayed to the user to perform the transaction.

8. The managing personal information processing apparatus of claim 7, further comprising means for receiving a confirmation reply from the user.

9. The managing personal information processing apparatus of claim 8, further comprising means for performing the transaction on the basis of the confirmation reply from the user.

10. The managing personal information processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the confirmation reply is selected by the user from a Yes button and a No button.

11. The managing personal information processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the terminal device comprises a wireless device comprising one of a personal digital assistant, a mobile telephone, a personal handyphone, a pager, a laptop computer, and a handheld information processing device.

12. The managing personal information processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the personal information comprises one or more of a user payment information, a user home address, a user e-mail address, a user telephone number, a user date of birth, a user age, a user gender, a user occupation, a user password, and a user ID.