JP2003345280A - Ad distribution method and virtual community system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] When using services of a plurality of providers, the burden of registering user information and the management load of user IDs are increasing, and effective advertisement distribution due to concerns about collection of personal information. Can not do. A virtual community formed by user activities managed by unique identification information, wherein authentication gateway means for mutually transmitting authentication information of different service providers and attribute information of the community are used. Attribute advertisement distribution means for distributing optimal advertisement content to a user who uses the community.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a virtual community system formed on the Internet by users who share a certain specific purpose or taste, and in particular, provides a service in which users are independently managed by different security policies. The present invention relates to a mutual authentication technology between businesses and a technology for distributing contents that match a user's hobbies and tastes while protecting the user's personal information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the spread of electronic commerce and digital content distribution services using the Internet, a safe and highly convenient method of granting and authenticating an ID for identifying a user is required. There is.

As a technique therefor, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-2002
A single sign-on system disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 7346 is known. The invention includes an integrated server that controls communication between a plurality of web servers and a browser, and an authentication server that has identification information of users who have the authority to access files included in the plurality of web servers and access authority information. Thus, if the user inputs the authentication once, a plurality of services can be used.

A user authentication method described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-64483 is known, and in the invention, the unique identification information of the portable information terminal possessed by the user is registered in advance in the authentication server to authenticate the user. The feature is that the data for doing is used.

In addition, in a business model in which other contents and services are provided free of charge instead of viewing the advertisement contents, an efficient advertisement distribution method that matches the user's hobbies and preferences and leads to purchasing behavior is demanded. There is.

As a technique therefor, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-2002
A viewer history management device described in Japanese Patent No. 99830 is known. The invention includes means for managing customer registration data of a viewer terminal, means for managing a website access history of the viewer terminal, static information of the viewer terminal, and dynamic information relating to viewer behavior. It is characterized by efficiently collecting information that can be used for advertising and marketing by providing a means for associating and collecting and analyzing.

[0007]

The single scion described in the prior art is an effective method for authentication within the same provider, but it is illegal when the authentication information of a plurality of providers is integrated into one server. There is a large risk of being used. Another problem is that the authentication server does not provide a means for the user to control how the personal information of the user is used.

In some cases, the user's load can be reduced by using the terminal information to authenticate the user. However, if the ubiquitous environment becomes widespread in the future, the user can seamlessly provide services while moving with a plurality of terminals. It needs to be available.

Further, the method of collecting and managing personal information described in the prior art may lead to invasion of privacy by monitoring the behavior of an individual. Further, if the content is selected based on the individual attribute information, the selection range tends to be too narrow. Furthermore, even in the distribution of advertising content, it is necessary for the user to be able to filter himself so as not to receive unauthorized or harmful content.

[0010]

Therefore, according to the present invention, service providers can safely exchange member information and payment information with each other, and the user himself / herself uses an authentication gateway system having access control means for personal information. Provide a convenient virtual community.

The present invention is also capable of providing an advertisement by an optimal combination of the attributes of the community and the attributes of the content that do not include specific personal information, and the user himself / herself eliminates the undesirable advertisement distribution. A virtual community of convenience is provided through the attribute advertisement distribution system.

According to a more specific aspect of the present invention, the community member management means for managing the member information belonging to the virtual community and the available service information and the user management / authentication system owned by the service provider cooperate with each other. Issue an authentication ticket corresponding to the authentication information of the community member, and provide the authentication ticket information in response to a request from another service provider, and an authentication ticket management means for various user attributes included in the authentication ticket. There is provided an authentication gateway system that is capable of controlling access and that has access control policy management means that can be directly set or referenced by a community administrator or a user.

According to another more specific aspect of the present invention, the attribute of the community and the attribute of the content to be distributed are registered as selection conditions in advance, and the selection condition is set when the content is accessed. It is possible to determine the advertising content that conforms to the
Reference is made to the optimal advertisement selection means that can be directly performed by the community administrator or the user, and the advertisement distribution control means that performs advertisement distribution synchronized with the original content by adding the distribution information of the selected advertisement content to the metafile for distribution control. An attribute advertisement distribution system is provided which includes a viewing log management unit that collects viewing logs from a distribution server for original content and advertisement content and calculates a rating for each community and each content.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a virtual community in which a video content distribution service or an auction service can be used will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 shows a system configuration diagram according to the first embodiment. The end user 1 (101) is a service provider A (131) from the terminal 1 (300) via the access network 1 (310).
Connect to the server. Terminal 2 (301) is assumed to be a mobile terminal that is used by connecting to an outdoor network access point called a "hotspot", or a digital content sales terminal placed at a convenience store or station. Connect to the above server via 2 (311). FIG. 4 shows an example of a service scenario in this configuration. First, when connecting to the user management / authentication server from the terminal 1, the login input screen is returned, and the user sends login information (eg user ID and password) (41
0). When the user authentication is completed, the user management / authentication server sends the authentication information of the user to the authentication gateway,
The session information returned from the authentication gateway is the terminal 1
To notify. The session information is encrypted and stored (420) with the authentication key (102). The terminal 1 requests the content from the video distribution server, and the content is answered (430).
When the user moves from the terminal 1 to the terminal 2 and then connects to the video distribution server, the session information in the authentication key is sent to the authentication gateway, its validity is confirmed, and the session information is updated (440). . After that, the content is similarly responded to the content request (450). After this, the logout information is sent to the user management / authentication server,
When the logout process is complete, the information is sent to the authentication gateway (460).

The authentication gateway server 110 is composed of functional modules as shown in FIG. The authentication gateway server 110 includes a community member management unit 111, an authentication ticket management unit 112, and an access control policy management unit 11
It consists of 3 and.

FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram that can be used to implement the present system. The functional modules of each server shown in FIG. 1 can be built on a computer equipped with hardware such as a CPU 201, a memory 202, an input / output interface 203, a display device 204, an input device 205, a storage device 206, and a network device 207. it can. in this case,
Each functional module of the program 200 such as the authentication gateway server is read into the memory 202 and embodied as a process. The external system 208 (130 and 140 in FIG. 1)
Are connected via the network device 207.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the community member management section 111. First, a new community is created and registered in the community profile management DB (901). Next, the D
B is searched (902) and it is returned whether it is a service available in the community (903). Further, community profile information is returned (904).

FIG. 15 shows an example of the community profile management table. The community name (1501),
Provider name to manage (1502), number of community members
(1503), member user ID list (1504), available services 1 to 3 (1505-1507), and profiles 1 to 4 (1508 to 1511) representing community characteristics.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the authentication ticket management unit 112. First, depending on whether the authentication service request is new or not (1001), if it is new, an authentication ticket is created based on the authentication information sent (1002), and the authentication ticket is registered in the authentication ticket management DB. Returns the session ID of the authentication ticket (1003). For confirmation, search the authentication ticket management DB based on the session ID (100
4) If it is a valid authentication ticket (1005), the access control management policy part 113 is called (1006), and authenticated user information is returned (1007). If the authentication ticket does not exist or is invalid, a session invalid message is returned (10
08).

FIG. 16 shows an example of the authentication ticket management table. The session ID (1601), the authentication source provider name (1602), the issue date and time (1603), the effective date and time (1604), and the authenticated user ID (1605). ), Authentication method (1606), and parameters 1 to 6 (160) of personal information protected by access control policy.
7-1612) and.

FIG. 11 shows the access control policy management unit 113.
3 is a flowchart showing the operation of FIG. First, a new access control rule for user information is created and registered in the access control policy management DB (1101). Next, when there is a request for access to the user information, the rule corresponding to the request source service is searched (1102). Then, the user parameters and the like that are permitted to access are returned (1103).

FIG. 17 shows an example of the access control policy management table. The rule ID (1701), the service name (1702) to which the rule is applied, and the user to whom the rule is applied.
ID (1703), user parameters (1
704), the number of times the access is permitted (1705), and the same rule definition is repeated (1706 to 1710).

FIG. 5 shows a system configuration diagram according to the second embodiment. The terminal 2 connects to the server of the service provider A (131) and the server of the service provider B (500) via the access network 2. The server of service provider A and the server of service provider B are connected via an authentication gateway. FIG. 6 shows an example of a service scenario in this configuration. As described in the first embodiment, the terminal 2 requests content from the video distribution server and obtains a content response (610). When the terminal 2 switches the connection destination to the auction server (510) of another operator, the session information is sent from the terminal 2 to the authentication gateway, and when the authentication ticket is confirmed by the authentication gateway, the session information updated in the auction server. And user information is notified (62
0). The terminal 2 requests the content from the auction server and obtains the content response (630). When an item is purchased as a result of the auction, the purchase information is sent to the user management / authentication server of the business operator A through the authentication gateway, and after the payment processing is performed, the user is notified of the payment result (640 ).

With the authentication gateway described above, it is possible to provide a user with an authentication method with a reduced load when using a plurality of terminals or a plurality of service providers.

FIG. 7 shows a system configuration diagram according to the third embodiment. The terminal 2 connects to the server of the service provider A via the access network 2 and at the same time, connects to the attribute advertisement distribution server 710 that distributes the advertising content to the terminal 2. The attribute advertisement distribution server connects to the server 720 of the advertising business X to obtain the advertising content. FIG. 8 shows an example of a service scenario in this configuration. The attribute advertisement distribution server collects content attribute information from the video distribution server before receiving a request from the user (810). Further, the advertising content to be distributed is collected from the server of the advertising business X (820). The content request from the terminal 2 is sorted by the user management / authentication server, the request for the content of the advertisement insertion target is transferred to the attribute advertisement distribution server, and after the advertisement distribution information is inserted in the metafile for distribution control,
A response is returned to the terminal 2 (830). The terminal 2 views the advertising content or the video content based on the returned metafile (840). After that, the attribute advertisement distribution server collects the viewing logs of the video distribution server and its own advertisement distribution server (85
0).

The attribute advertisement distribution server 120 is composed of functional modules as shown in FIG. The attribute advertisement distribution server 120 includes an optimum advertisement selection unit 121, an advertisement distribution control unit 122,
The viewing log management unit 123.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing the operation of the optimum advertisement selection unit 121. First, the advertisement content is collected from the server of the advertising business and an attribute list is created (1201).
An advertisement selection rule is newly created based on the attribute list and community profile information and registered in the advertisement selection rule management DB (1202). When the viewing request with advertisement is received (1203), first, the community information is acquired from the user ID who has issued the request, and the DB is searched (1204). When the advertisement to be inserted is specified in the searched rule, the advertisement delivery control unit 122 is called (120
Five).

FIG. 18 is an example of an advertisement selection rule management table, which includes a rule ID (1801), a rule evaluation expression (1802), selection conditions 1 to 3 (1803 to 1805), an action 1 to be executed (1806),
Similarly, it is composed of repeated rule definitions (1807 to 1812).

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the advertisement distribution control unit 122. First, the metafile for content distribution is read (1301), the distribution information of the selected advertisement content is added to the metafile (1302), and the updated metafile is returned to the terminal (1303). FIG. 19 is a description example of a metafile, and details of the description method are described in, for example, “Practice! Broadband Streaming” by Tomoaki Sakurai and Akihiro Hira, Ohmsha.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the viewing log management unit 123. First, an access log for each service such as a video distribution server is collected (1401), and a viewing log of the distributed advertising content is collected (1402). The collected log data is totaled for each community and the result is reflected in the community profile DB (1403).

With the attribute advertisement distribution server described above, it is possible to dynamically select and distribute advertisement content suitable for the characteristics of the community.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Service providers can safely exchange member information and payment information with each other, and a user can provide a highly convenient virtual community through an authentication gateway system having an access control function for personal information.

Further, it is possible to effectively provide an advertisement by an optimal combination of the attributes of the community and the attributes of the content that do not include specific personal information, and the user himself has a function of eliminating undesired advertisement distribution. A virtual community of convenience can be provided through the attribute advertisement distribution system.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing functional modules of a system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a hardware configuration of a system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a video distribution service configuration according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing a service scenario according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a video distribution and auction service configuration according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing a service scenario according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a video distribution and attribute advertisement distribution service configuration according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram showing a service scenario according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the community member management unit.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the authentication ticket management unit.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the access control policy management unit.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the optimum advertisement selection unit.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the advertisement distribution control unit.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the viewing log management unit.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a community profile management table.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of an authentication ticket management table.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of an access control policy management table.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of an advertisement selection rule management table.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a meta file for advertisement distribution.

[Explanation of symbols]

201 ... CPU, 202 ... Memory, 203 ... Input / output interface section, 204 ... Display device, 205 ... Input device, 206 ... Storage device, 2
07 ... Network device, 208 ... External system

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] June 18, 2002 (2002.6.1)
8)

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0015

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

FIG. 3 shows a system configuration diagram according to the first embodiment. The end user 1 (101) is a service provider A (131) from the terminal 1 (300) via the access network 1 (310).
Connect to the server. Terminal 2 (301) is assumed to be a mobile terminal that is used by connecting to a network access point provided in a cafe, hotel or other public area, or a digital content sales terminal placed at a convenience store or station. Connect to the above server via access network 2 (311). FIG. 4 shows an example of a service scenario in this configuration. First, when connecting to the user management / authentication server from the terminal 1, the login input screen is returned and the user transmits login information (for example, user ID and password) (410). When the user authentication is completed, the user management / authentication server sends the authentication information of the user to the authentication gateway, and notifies the terminal 1 of the session information returned from the authentication gateway. The session information is the authentication key (10
It is encrypted and retained in 2) (420). The terminal 1 requests the content from the video distribution server, and the content is answered (430). When the user moves from the terminal 1 to the terminal 2 and then connects to the video distribution server, the session information in the authentication key is sent to the authentication gateway, its validity is confirmed, and the session information is updated (440). . After that, similarly respond to the content request with the content (45
0). Thereafter, the logout information is sent to the user management / authentication server, and when the logout process is completed, the information is sent to the authentication gateway (460).

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. To use various digital contents and digital services on the Internet,
It is a virtual community established by the user's activity managed by unique identification information, and uses the community by using the authentication gateway means for mutually transmitting the authentication information of different service providers and the attribute information of the community. A virtual community system comprising: an attribute advertisement distribution unit that distributes an optimum advertisement content to a user. 2. In the authentication gateway means, a community member management means for managing member information belonging to a virtual community and available service information, and a user management / authentication system of a service provider are linked with community member management means. An authentication ticket management unit that issues an authentication ticket corresponding to the authentication information and provides the authentication ticket information in response to a request from another service provider, and controls access to various user attributes included in the authentication ticket. The virtual community system according to claim 1, further comprising access control policy management means. 3. The attribute advertisement distribution means preliminarily registers a community attribute and an attribute of content to be distributed as selection conditions, and determines an advertisement content that meets the selection conditions when the content is accessed. From the optimum advertisement selection means to perform, the advertisement distribution control means to perform advertisement distribution synchronized with the original content by adding the distribution information of the selected advertisement content to the metafile for distribution control, and the distribution server of the original content and the advertisement content The virtual community system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a viewing log management unit that collects a viewing log and calculates an audience rating for each community and each content. 4. The access control policy management means can specify a user to be applied as an access control policy, and can set / reference the access control policy directly by a community manager or a user. The virtual community system according to claim 1 or 2. 5. The optimum advertisement selecting means can specify a filtering rule for restricting distribution according to the attribute of the advertisement content, and the community manager or user can directly set / reference the advertisement selecting rule. The virtual community system according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that.