Network system, network server and terminal device for recording, converting, and transmitting information conformed to a terminal device

• US 6,889,246 B1
• Filed: 03/10/2000
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawamoto, Youji, Hidaka, Isao, Tsunoda, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, LIANG CHE A
• Application Number:
  US09/523,583
• Time in Patent Office: 1,880 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709213-215, 709/216, 709/246, 709249-250
• US Class Current: 709/204
• 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 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

A network system, a network server and a terminal device, for of easily and surely transmitting various information to a user being the destination of the information, wherein the terminal device to be used by a user is recorded in the network server 22, and the network server 22 converts information to be transmitted to the terminal device used by the user into information conformed to the terminal device used by the user, or transmits a notice to the terminal device to the effect that there is information to be transmitted to said user. Thereby, the information can be easily and surely transmitted to the user who is the destination of the information.

Claims

1. A network system comprising:

a terminal device including a slot for inserting and ejecting a memory device that stores information for user authentication; and

a network server including;

connecting means for connecting to said terminal device via prescribed communication means, wherein when said terminal device detects that said memory device is inserted into said slot, a request for authentification is sent to said network server by sending said information for user authentication and information about terminal specification to said network server, and said information for user authentication is stored in said network server in association with said information about terminal specification for future communication with said terminal device associated with said information about terminal specification when said network server authenticates the user, and said network server converts information to be transmitted to said terminal device used by the user into conformed information conformed to said terminal device used by the user, and transmits the conformed information to said terminal device; and

group forming means for forming a group of a plurality of users by producing a group ID in response to a group forming request transmitted by said terminal device, for recording an other terminal device into said group in response to receiving said group ID from said other terminal device, and for transmitting information sent from a user belonging to said group to another user belonging to said group.

2. The network system according to claim 1, further comprising storage means, and wherein said terminal device includes interface means connected to said storage means for storing information peculiar to said user and for storing specific information on said group to which said user belongs in said storage means connected to said interface means.

3. A network system comprising:

a terminal device; and

a network server including;

connecting means for connecting to said terminal device via prescribed communication means, wherein when said terminal device detects that said memory device is inserted into said slot, a request for authentification is sent to said network server by sending said information for user authentication and information about terminal specification to said network server, and said information for user authentication is stored in said network server in association with said information about terminal specification for future communication with said terminal device associated with said information about terminal specification when said network server authenticates the user, and when there is information to be transmitted to said terminal device used by the user, said network server notifies said terminal device used by the user of the presence of the information to be transmitted; and

group forming means for forming a group of a plurality of users by producing a group ID in response to a group forming request transmitted by said terminal device, for recording an other terminal device into said group in response to receiving said group ID from said other terminal device, and for transmitting information sent from a user belonging to said group to another user belonging to said group.

4. The network system according to claim 3, further comprising storage means, and wherein said terminal device includes interface means connected to said storage means for storing information peculiar to said user and for storing specific information on said group to which said user belongs in said storage means connected to said interface means.

5. A network server connected to a terminal device via prescribed communication means, comprising:

receiving means for receiving an authentication request including information for user authentication and information about terminal specification in response to said terminal device detecting insertion of a memory device storing said user authentication information;

recording means for recording said user authentication information in said server in association with said information about terminal specification for future communication with said terminal device associated with said information about terminal specification when said user authentication information is authenticated;

transmission means for converting information to be transmitted to said terminal device into conformed information conformed to said terminal device based on said information about terminal specification, and transmitting said conformed information to said terminal device; and

group forming means for forming a group of a plurality of users by producing a group ID in response to a group forming request transmitted by said terminal device, for recording an other terminal device into said group in response to receiving said group ID from said other terminal device, and for transmitting information sent from a user belonging to said group to another user belonging to said group.

6. A network server connected to a terminal device and via prescribed communication means, comprising:

receiving means for receiving an authentication request including information for user authentication and information about terminal specification in response to said terminal device detecting insertion of a memory device storing said user authentication information;

recording means for recording said user authentication information in said server in association with said information about terminal specification, for future communication with said terminal device associated with said information about terminal specification when said user authentication information is authenticated;

notice means for notifying when there is information to be transmitted to said terminal device of the presence of the information to be transmitted; and

group forming means for forming a group of a plurality of users by producing a group ID in response to a group forming request transmitted by said terminal device, for recording an other terminal device into said group in response to receiving said group ID from said other terminal device, and for transmitting information sent from a user belonging to said group to another user belonging to said group.

7. A method executed on a server connected to a terminal device comprising the steps of:

receiving an authentication request including information for user authentication and information about terminal specification, in response to said terminal device detecting insertion of a memory device storing said user authentication information;

storing said user authentication information on said server in association with said information about terminal specification for future communication with said terminal device associated with said information about terminal specification when said user authentication information is authenticated;

converting information to be transmitted to said terminal device into information conformed to said terminal device based on said received information about terminal specification;

transmitting said converted information to said terminal device; and

forming a group of a plurality of users by producing a group ID in response to a group forming request transmitted by said terminal device, for recording an other terminal device into said group in response to receiving said group ID from said other terminal device, and for transmitting information sent from a user belonging to said group to another user belonging to said group.