Providing services by managing communication relationships

• US 9,325,745 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2009
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Inventors: Toyama, Masashi, Murakami, Koji, Sueda, Yoshiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo, Joshua
• Assistant Examiner(s): Naji, Younes
• Application Number:
  US13/123,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20110196978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,384 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4025 where none of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. downloading a file in a parallel FTP session, initiating an email or combinational services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A service providing server collects call session information that identifies communication established between terminals and service usage IDs that identify the terminals for each terminal. Then, the service providing server identifies call session information pieces indicating the same communication and associates Web services with each other. When the service providing server provides the associated Web services to the terminals, the service providing server identifies service usage IDs that identify the terminals and control provision of the Web services so that each Web service is provided according to history information stored in a history information database in association with service usage IDs.

Claims

1. A service providing system for providing a service on a network to a plurality of terminals by a service providing server, comprising:

a session management server different from the service providing server; and

the service providing server, wherein

the session management server includes

circuitry configured to perform as

an identification information issuing unit that, when receiving service selection information from each of the plurality of terminals, issues identification information to each of the plurality of terminals, the identification information identifying a respective terminal or a user of the respective terminal that sent the service selection information and the identification information further identifies a first communication established between the plurality of terminals outside of the service providing server;

the identification information issuing unit further, for each of the plurality of terminals, instructs the respective terminal to access the service providing server corresponding to the service selection information, and transmits the identification information identifying the respective terminal or the user of the respective terminal and identifying the first communication established between the plurality of terminals outside of the service providing server to the respective terminal;

the service providing server includes

circuitry configured to perform as

a communication information collecting unit that receives from each of the plurality of terminals communication information that identifies the first communication established between the plurality of terminals;

an identification information collecting unit that receives from each of the plurality of terminals the identification information identifying the respective terminal or the user of the respective terminal transmitted by the session management server to each of the plurality of terminals issued by the identification information issuing unit combined with the communication information for each of the plurality of terminals;

an associating unit that identifies communication information pieces indicating the same communication from a plurality of communication information pieces received by the communication information collecting unit and associates services, which are provided to each of the plurality of terminals which establish the communication identified by the identified communication information pieces, with each other; and

a service providing unit that, when providing the services associated with each other by the associating unit to the plurality of terminals, identifies identification information pieces that identify the plurality of terminals or users of the plurality of terminals from a plurality of identification information pieces received by the identification information collecting unit, and controls service provision so that the services are provided in accordance with information stored in a storage unit in association with the identified identification information pieces.

2. The service providing system according to claim 1, wherein

the communication established between the plurality of terminals is communication established by SIP, and

the communication information collecting unit collects the communication information that identifies communication established between the plurality of terminals by the SIP.

3. The service providing system according to claim 1, wherein

the service providing server further includes

a storage unit that stores history information of services provided by the service providing unit into the storage unit in association with the identification information issued by the identification information issuing unit, and

the service providing unit controls service provision so that services are provided in accordance with the history information stored in the storage unit in association with the identified identification information pieces.

4. The service providing system according to claim 2, wherein

the service providing server further includes

a storage unit that stores history information of services provided by the service providing unit into the storage unit in association with the identification information issued by the identification information issuing unit, and

the service providing unit controls service provision so that services are provided in accordance with the history information stored in the storage unit in association with the identified identification information pieces.

5. The service providing system according to claim 1, wherein

the service providing server further includes

a user information storage unit that stores user-related information of a terminal, and

circuitry configured to perform as:

a user information associating unit that associates the identification information issued by the identification information issuing unit and the user-related information stored by the user information storage unit with each other, and the service providing unit controls service provision so that services are provided in accordance with the user-related information which is associated with the identified identification information pieces by the user information associating unit.

6. The service providing system according to claim 2, wherein

the service providing server further includes

a user information storage unit that stores user-related information of a terminal, and

circuitry configured to perform as:

a user information associating unit that associates the identification information issued by the identification information issuing unit and the user-related information stored by the user information storage unit with each other, and the service providing unit controls service provision so that services are provided in accordance with the user-related information which is associated with the identified identification information pieces by the user information associating unit.

7. The service providing system according to claim 1, wherein

the session management server further includes

circuitry configured to perform as:

a user identification information associating unit that associates the identification information issued by the identification information issuing unit and user identification information that identifies a user of the terminal with each other, and

a user identification information transmission unit that transmits the user identification information associated by the user identification information associating unit to the service providing server,

the service providing server further includes

a user information storage unit that stores user identification information and user-related information identified by the user identification information in association with each other, the identification information collecting unit collects the user identification information transmitted by the user identification information transmission unit as information combined with the communication information for each terminal, and

the service providing unit identifies user identification information pieces that identify users of the terminals from a plurality of user identification information pieces received by the identification information collecting unit, and controls service provision so that services are provided in accordance with the user-related information stored in the user information storage unit in association with the identified user identification information pieces.

8. The service providing system according to claim 2, wherein

the session management server further includes

circuitry configured to perform as:

a user identification information associating unit that associates the identification information issued by the identification information issuing unit and user identification information that identifies a user of the terminal with each other, and

a user identification information transmission unit that transmits the user identification information associated by the user identification information associating unit to the service providing server, the service providing server further includes a user information storage unit that stores user identification information and user-related information identified by the user identification information in association with each other,

the identification information collecting unit collects the user identification information transmitted by the user identification information transmission unit as information combined with the communication information for each terminal, and

the service providing unit identifies user identification information pieces that identify users of the terminals from a plurality of user identification information pieces received by the identification information collecting unit, and controls service provision so that services are provided in accordance with the user-related information stored in the user information storage unit in association with the identified user identification information pieces.

9. The service providing system according to claim 3, wherein

the identification information issuing unit issues different identification information for each combination of the respective terminal and the service providing server.

10. The service providing system according to claim 3, wherein

the identification information issuing unit issues identification information having a format that can be verified, and

the service providing server further includes

circuitry configured to perform as:

an identification information verifying unit that, when the identification information collecting unit collects identification information having a format that can be verified, verifies a fact related to the identification information.

11. A service providing method for providing a service on a network to a plurality of terminals by a service providing server, comprising:

issuing, from a session management server different from the service providing server, when receiving service selection information from each of the plurality of terminals, identification information to each of the plurality of terminals, the identification information identifying a respective terminal or a user of the respective terminal that sent the service selection information and the identification information further identifies a first communication established between the plurality of terminals outside of the service providing server;

for each of the plurality of terminals, instructing the respective terminal to access the service providing server corresponding to the service selection information, and transmitting the identification information identifying the respective terminal or the user of the respective terminal and identifying the first communication established between the plurality of terminals outside of the service providing server to the respective terminal;

receiving, in the service providing server, from each of the plurality of terminals, communication information that identifies the first communication established between the plurality of terminals;

receiving, in the service providing server, from each of the plurality of terminals, identification information identifying the respective terminal or the user of the respective terminal combined with the communication information for each of the plurality of terminals;

identifying communication information pieces indicating the same communication from a plurality of the received communication information pieces and associating services, which are provided to the plurality of terminals which establish the communication identified by the identified communication information pieces, with each other; and

identifying, when providing the services associated with each other to the plurality of terminals, identification information pieces that identify the plurality of terminals or users of the plurality of terminals from a plurality of the received identification information pieces, and controlling service provision so that the services are provided in accordance with information stored in a storage unit in association with the identified identification information pieces.

12. A service providing system for providing a service on a network to a plurality of client side systems by a service providing server, comprising:

a session management server different from the service providing server; and

the service providing server, wherein

the session management server includes

circuitry configured to perform as

an identification information issuing unit that, when receiving service selection information from each of the plurality of client side systems, issues identification information to each of the plurality of client side systems, the identification information identifying a respective client-side system or a user of the respective client-side system that sent the service selection information and the identification information further identifies a first communication established between the plurality of client-side systems outside of the service providing server;

the identification information issuing unit further, for each of the plurality of client side systems, instructs the respective client-side system to access the service providing server corresponding to the service selection information, and transmits the identification information identifying the respective client-side system or the user of the respective client-side system and identifying the first communication established between the plurality of client-side systems outside of the service providing server to the respective client-side system,

the service providing server includes

circuitry configured to perform as

a communication information collecting unit that receives from each of the plurality of client-side systems communication information that identifies the first communication established between the plurality of client-side systems;

an identification information collecting unit that receives from each of the plurality of client-side systems identification information identifying the respective client-side system or the user of the respective client-side system issued by the identification information issuing unit combined with the communication information for each of the plurality of client-side systems;

an associating unit that identifies communication information pieces indicating the same communication from a plurality of communication information pieces received by the communication information collecting unit and associates services, which are provided to each of the plurality of client-side systems which establish the communication identified by the identified communication information pieces, with each other; and

a service providing unit that, when providing the services associated with each other by the associating unit to plurality of the client-side systems, identifies identification information pieces that identify the plurality of client-side systems or users of the plurality of client-side systems from a plurality of identification information pieces received by the identification information collecting unit, and controls service provision so that the services are provided in accordance with information stored in a storage unit in association with the identified identification information pieces.

13. A service providing system for providing a service on a network to a plurality of terminals, comprising:

a session management server different from a service providing server; and

the service providing server, wherein

the session management server includes

circuitry configured to perform as

an identification information issuing unit that, when receiving service selection information from each of the plurality of terminals, issues identification information to each of the plurality of terminals, the identification information identifying a respective terminal or a user of the respective terminal that sent the service selection information and the identification information further identifies a first communication established between the service providing server and the respective terminal;

the identification information issuing unit further, for each of the plurality of terminals, instructs the respective terminal to access the service providing server corresponding to the service selection information, and transmits the identification information identifying the respective terminal or the user of the respective terminal and identifying the first communication established between the respective terminal and the service providing server to the respective terminal, and

the service providing server includes

circuitry configured to perform as

a communication information collecting unit that receives from the respective terminal communication information that identifies the first communication established between the service providing server and the respective terminal, an identification information collecting unit that receives from each of the plurality of terminals identification information identifying the respective terminal or the user of the respective terminal issued by the identification information issuing unit combined with the communication information for the plurality of terminals, and

a service providing unit that identifies communication information indicating communication established between the service providing server and the respective terminal from a plurality of communication information pieces received by the communication information collecting unit, when providing a service to the respective terminal that establishes the communication identified by the identified communication information, identifies identification information pieces that identify the respective terminal or the user of the respective terminal from a plurality of identification information pieces received by the identification information collecting unit, and controls service provision so that the services are provided in accordance with information stored in a storage unit in association with the identified identification information pieces,

wherein the respective terminal is not registered in the service providing server as a recipient of the service in advance of providing the service to the respective terminal.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein a service providing program causing a computer to execute a process comprising:

issuing, from a session management server different from a service providing server, when receiving service selection information from each of a plurality of terminals, identification information to each of the plurality of terminals, the identification information identifying a respective terminal or a user of the respective terminal that sent the service selection information and the identification information further identifies a first communication established between the plurality of terminals outside of the service providing server;

for each of the plurality of terminals, instructing the respective terminal to access the service providing server corresponding to the service selection information, and transmitting the identification information identifying the respective terminal or the user of the respective terminal and identifying the first communication established between the plurality of terminals outside of the service providing server to the respective terminal;

receiving, in the service providing server, from each of the plurality of terminals, communication information that identifies the first communication established between the plurality of terminals;

receiving, in the service providing server, from each of the plurality of terminals, identification information identifying the respective terminal or the user of the respective terminal combined with the communication information for each of the plurality of terminals;

identifying communication information pieces indicating the same communication from a plurality of the received communication information pieces and associating services, which are provided to the plurality of terminals which establish the communication identified by the identified communication information pieces, with each other; and

identifying, when providing the services associated with each other to the plurality of terminals, identification information pieces that identify the plurality of terminals or users of the plurality of terminals from a plurality of the received identification information pieces, and controlling service provision so that the services are provided in accordance with information stored in a storage unit in association with the identified identification information pieces.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein a service providing program causing a computer to execute a process comprising:

issuing, from a session management server different from a service providing server, when receiving service selection information from each of a plurality of client-side systems, identification information to each of the plurality of client-side systems, the identification information identifying a respective client-side system or a user of the respective client-side system that sent the service selection information and the identification information further identifies a first communication established between the plurality of client-side systems outside of the service providing server;

for each of the plurality of client side systems, instructing the respective client-side system to access the service providing server corresponding to the service selection information, and transmitting the identification information identifying the respective client-side system or the user of the respective client-side system and identifying the first communication established between the plurality of client-side systems outside of the service providing server to respective the client-side system;

receiving, in the service providing server, from each of the plurality client-side systems, communication information that identifies the first communication established between the plurality of client-side systems;

receiving, in the service providing server, from each of the plurality of client-side systems, identification information identifying the respective client-side system or the user of the respective client-side system combined with the communication information for each of the plurality of client-side systems;

identifying communication information pieces indicating the same communication from a plurality of the received communication information pieces and associating services, which are provided to each of the plurality of client-side systems which establish the communication identified by the identified communication information pieces, with each other; and

identifying, when providing the services associated with each other to the plurality of client-side systems, identification information pieces that identify the plurality of client-side systems or users of the plurality of client-side systems from a plurality of the received identification information pieces, and controlling service provision so that the services are provided in accordance with information stored in a storage unit in association with the identified identification information pieces.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein a service providing program causing a computer to execute a process comprising:

issuing, from a session management server different from a service providing server, when receiving service selection information from each of a plurality of terminals, identification information to each of the plurality of terminals, the identification information identifying a respective terminal or a user of the respective terminal that sent the service selection information and the identification information further identifies a first communication established between the service providing server and the respective terminal;

for each of the plurality of terminals, instructing the respective terminal to access a service providing server corresponding to the service selection information, and transmitting the identification information identifying the respective terminal or the user of the respective terminal and identifying the first communication established between the respective terminal and the service providing server to the respective terminal;

receiving, in the service providing server, communication information that identifies the first communication established between the service providing server and the respective terminal,

receiving, in the service providing server, from each of the plurality of terminals, identification information identifying the respective terminal or the user of the respective terminal combined with the communication information for each of the plurality of terminals;

identifying communication information indicating communication established between the service providing server and the respective terminal from a plurality of the received communication information pieces, when providing a service to the respective terminal that establishes the communication identified by the identified communication information, identifying identification information pieces that identify the respective terminal or the user of the respective terminal from a plurality of the received identification information pieces, and controlling service provision so that the services are provided in accordance with information stored in a storage unit in association with the identified identification information pieces,

wherein the respective terminal is not registered in the service providing server as a recipient of the service in advance of providing the service to the respective terminal.