JP2005338979A - License issuance management method, apparatus, program, and recording medium recording the program - Google Patents

Abstract

Kind Code: A1 Various video distribution contents that can be used by a large number of people or in a group in a system capable of providing a video distribution service, such as a video content presentation service and a viewing service that are convenient for the user To provide license issuance management technology.
A license issuance management server apparatus 200 includes a license issuance function 201 for issuing a license to a user who uses each content, a license issuance count control function 202 for controlling the number of license issuances, a license issuance counter table 203, Have The license issuance management server apparatus 200 sets the number of license issuances for each content at the time of registration processing of each content by a content registration company that sells each content, and the user apparatus has a license issuance frequency range. Issue a license.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a license issuance management method, a license issuance management server apparatus, a program, and a recording medium on which the program is recorded, for performing content management of a video distribution service provided to a user.

  With the expansion of broadband service development, development of a system that provides various video programs to users is in progress. Mainly, various video programs are filed and stored in a server, and a desired video program is downloaded from a center device in a file format and provided to the user in response to a request from the user, so-called video There are systems such as an on-demand (VOD) system that can distribute video programs interactively between a server and a client. Further, there is a system that provides a video program taken by a video program supplier to a user in a live format in real time (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In each of these systems, when the provider side provides a video program, the content registration process at the time of registering the content is performed once. For this reason, when a user views a product or the like, the user can only use the user terminal by accessing the user terminal once.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-110276

  Therefore, when providing a presentation service or viewing service for a video program sold to a user, the service provider side is not suitable as a service to the user even though the content is registered by the service provider. In addition, since it cannot be used by a large number of people, problems such as a poor user interface arise. Also, when using a license issuance method in providing video content, it is not possible to assign different license numbers to a plurality of terminals for one contract and at the same time set a viewing period limit for each given license number. It was. In addition, video content and the like are strongly enjoyed for personal use in the short term. In addition, there are many cases where one person has multiple terminals at present, and there is a strong demand for easy use, such as wanting to move and view, but when limited to terminals, it is not possible to meet the demand. Come. In addition, since the expiration date of the license depends on the timer function on the terminal side, the usage starts from 0 when the terminal is in the initial state.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention can be used by a large number of people or in a group in a system capable of providing a video distribution service, and can provide a user with convenient video content presentation service and viewing. An object of the present invention is to provide a license issue management technique for providing various video distribution contents such as services.

  In order to achieve the above object, a license issuance management method of the present invention is a license issuance management method for a license issuance management server apparatus in a content distribution service that provides content distribution to a user. A step of setting the number of licenses issued for each content at the time of registration processing of each content by an operator, and a step of issuing a license to the user device within a range of the number of times of issuing the license, To do. Also, after authenticating the user with the user member ID and password, the license issuance processing is performed, the number of times the user has issued the license is subtracted, and after the number of times that the user has issued the license becomes zero, The license is not issued. In addition, the same user member ID and password are input, and a step of issuing a license for a plurality of different user terminals as many times as the number of licenses issued for the content to be provided is provided. The license issuance management server apparatus further includes a step of setting a viewable period for each license and distributing content only during the viewable period.

  The license issuance management server apparatus according to the present invention is a license issuance management server apparatus in a content distribution service that provides content distribution to users, and has a license issuance function for issuing licenses to users who use each content. And a license issuance frequency control function for controlling the number of license issuances, and sets the number of times the license is issued for each content at the time of content registration processing by a content registration business that sells each content. A license is issued to the apparatus within a range of the number of times the license is issued. Also, it has a license issuance counter table for storing the number of times the license is issued for each user, and performs the license issuance processing after authenticating the user with the user member ID and password in the step of issuing the license. The number of licenses issued by the user is subtracted, and the licenses are not issued after the number of licenses issued by the user becomes zero. In addition, when the same user member ID and password are input, a license is issued for a plurality of different user terminals as many times as the number of licenses issued for the content to be provided. In addition, a viewable period is set for each license, and content is distributed only during the viewable period.

  The license issuance management program of the present invention is a program for executing each step of the license issuance management method. The recording medium of the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium that records the license issuance management program.

  According to the present invention, in response to a license issuance from a user, the license issuance management server device manages the number of times the license is issued, thereby making it convenient for expanding the use to the user and maintaining and operating the system. Can be given. In addition, the number of licenses can be increased or decreased from the system as needed, and when using with a large number of people, the user interface for users can be improved and varied by setting the number of issuances for each usage group. Effective use model can be created.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration example of a license issuing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a user device used for access by each user for making a video content purchase request, and 200 is connected to the user device 100 via a network to manage various services related to the video content. A license issuance management server device for The network that connects the license issuance management server device 200 and each user device 100 (user device 1 to user device m) may be any network such as an optical network, the Internet, or a telephone network.

  The license issuance management server apparatus 200 sets and manages a license issuance function 201 for setting sales information and issuing a license for video content to be sold, a license issuance count control function 202 for controlling the license issuance count, and a license issuance count. The license issuance counter table 203 is provided. The license issuing function 201 has a license table for each content.

  The various contents are video programs provided to users, and the provided formats are classified into a download format, a video on demand format, and a live format. The download format provides video content and the like to the user device 100 in a file format, and the video on demand format is interactive with the user device 100 like a so-called VOD system. The live format is to provide the user device 100 with a live format in real time, such as a video program shot by a supplier such as a video program. is there.

  The license issuance function 201 for issuing a license for the license issuance management server apparatus 200 registers the number of license issuances at the same time when the content sales provider registers the contents. It is stored in advance in the license table of the issue function 201.

  FIG. 2 shows a license issuance sequence. The user selects content that the user wants to purchase or view from the user device 100 and makes a license acquisition request to the license issuance management server device 200. In order to refer to the content, the user inputs the member ID and the content reference password for authentication, and then confirms the license issuance possible state. If the license is issuable, the license issuance processing is performed by the license issuance management server device 200. The license number and the viewing period for each license number are set. If the license issuance is permitted, the corresponding content is selected from the license table of the license issuance function 201, the license issuance count is subtracted by the license issuance count control function 202, and the license issuance counter table 203 is updated. When the license number is notified to the user device, the license number is stored in the user device, and the license issuance is completed, viewing is started to the user device and the content video is distributed. When the license issuable count reaches zero, the license is not issued even if access for issuing the license is input from the user apparatus.

  FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of content registration / modification by the license issuance function 201 of the license issuance management server 200. FIG. 3A is a flowchart of a program executed when a content sales provider registers content. Content registration is started (step 300), and the content sales provider inputs on the content registration screen. The license issuance count (counter count) for each content is registered in the license table of the license issuance function 201 (step 301), and the process is terminated (step 302). FIG. 3B is a flowchart of a program executed when a content sales provider corrects registered content. Content correction is started (step 310), and content sales are provided on the content registration screen. The number of licenses issued (counter number) corrected by the trader is registered in the license table of the license issuing function 201 (step 311), and the process is terminated (step 312).

  FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of content viewing by the license issuance management server 200. The process starts when the user device 100 accesses the license issuance management server device 200 (step 400), transmits a user login screen to the user device 100, allows the user to input a member ID and password, and displays a content selection screen. The content is transmitted to the user device 100 and the user is allowed to select content (step 401). It is determined whether the user has purchased the content (step 402). If it has not been purchased, purchase processing is performed, and the license issuance count of the content registered in the license table of the license issuance function 201 is set in the license issuance counter table 203 as the counter number of the user, and charging processing is also performed. (Step 403). If the purchase is determined in step 402 or a viewing request is made after the purchase processing in step 403 is completed (step 404), whether or not a license has been issued to the user device is assigned a license number. Judgment is made based on whether or not it is stored (step 405). If the license has not been issued to the user device, the number of counters of the user in the license issue counter table 203 is confirmed (step 406). If the counter number is positive, that is, if a license can be issued, a password input screen is transmitted to the user device to prompt for the member ID and password (step 407). An authentication process is performed based on the entered member ID and password (step 408). If the authentication is OK, the license number and the viewing period of the license number are set, and the license number is transmitted to the user device. A license is issued (step 409). 1 is subtracted from the number of counters of the user in the license issuance counter table (step 410), viewing start processing is performed, and content is distributed to the user terminal (step 411). If the counter number is 0 in step 406, license issuance NG is not issued to the user device (step 412). Further, even in the case of authentication NG in the authentication processing in step 408, the license issuance NG does not issue a license to the user device (step 413). If a license has been issued to the user device in step 405, whether or not a license has been issued. If the license is within the viewing period, a viewing start process is performed and the content is distributed to the user terminal (step 414). . If the viewing period has passed, the content is not distributed.

According to the embodiment described above, it is possible to personally view video content on a plurality of devices. In addition, even when the license is lost due to a malfunction of the device, it is possible to easily acquire the license again (usually, only one license is acquired. As a result of discussions at the support center etc. (It may be reissued, but if you do it multiple times in advance, you can acquire the license again without human intervention.) In addition, since there is a restriction on the use period, even if a malicious user leaks information for acquiring a license, the use is disabled after the period has passed, and thus a negative impact on profits can be suppressed. In addition, when using the concept of basic charge when using with multiple people, a basic charge for the number of people (for the license used) is required. It is possible to avoid charging the basic charge for the number of contract processing times. Also, since the viewing period is set on the center side and the timer function is provided on the center side, the usage period cannot be changed by operating the device (after each inquiry of the expiration date to the center side during viewing) Start watching).
The license issuance management server apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention described above includes means for realizing each function and each step.

  Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiment, the invention is not limited to the embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Of course.

It is a block diagram which shows the example of a license issuing system structure using the license issuing management server apparatus of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the license issue sequence of the video service of embodiment of this invention. 5 is a flowchart (content registration / modification) of a license issuance management method according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart (viewing) of the license issue management method of the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... User apparatus, 200 ... License issue management server apparatus, 201 ... License issue function, 202 ... License issue frequency control function, 203 ... License issue counter table

Claims (10)

A license issuance management method for a license issuance management server device in a content distribution service that provides content distribution to users,
A step of setting the number of times a license is issued for each content at the time of registration processing of each content by a content registration company that sells each content;
Issuing a license to the user device within a range of the number of times the license is issued;
A license issuance management method comprising: The license issuance management method according to claim 1,
In the step of issuing the license, after authenticating the user with the user member ID and password, the license issuance processing is performed, and the number of license issuance of the user is subtracted, so that the number of license issuance of the user is zero. The license issuance management method is characterized in that no license is issued after reaching the point. The license issuance management method according to claim 1 or claim 2,
A license issuance management method comprising a step of issuing a license for a plurality of different user terminals as many times as a license issuance of content to be provided by inputting the same user member ID and password. The license issuance management method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A license issuance management server apparatus comprising a step of setting a viewable period for each license and distributing contents only during the viewable period. A license issuance management server device in a content distribution service that provides content distribution to users,
A license issuance function that issues licenses to users who use each content;
A license issue frequency control function for controlling the license issue frequency;
Have
The number of licenses issued for each content is set at the time of content registration processing by a content registration company that sells each content, and the license is issued to the user device within the range of the number of times the license is issued. License issuance management server device. The license issuance management server device according to claim 5,
It has a license issuance counter table that stores the number of license issuances for each user,
In the step of issuing the license, after authenticating the user with the user member ID and password, the license issuance processing is performed, and the number of license issuance of the user is subtracted, so that the number of license issuance of the user is zero. The license issuance management server device is characterized in that the license issuance is not performed after becoming. The license issuance management server device according to claim 5 or 6,
A license issuance management server device, wherein a license is issued for a plurality of different user terminals as many times as the number of licenses issued for content to be provided by inputting the same user member ID and password. The license issuance management server device according to any one of claims 5 to 7,
A license issuance management server device that sets a viewable period for each license and distributes content only during the viewable period. A license issuance management program in a content distribution service that provides content distribution to users,
5. A license issuance management program for causing each step according to claim 1 to be executed. A computer-readable recording medium on which the license issuance management program according to claim 9 is recorded.

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