JPH08272477A - Information offer service system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To effectively manage a large quantity of information on the video, the music and, etc., and to fast send these information by broadcasting and also to easily change the users from the information offer side. CONSTITUTION: The CPU of an information offer device reads out a sending schedule and carries out a sending program. Then the CPU reads the information out of a 1st information accumulation device and sends the information to a user terminal equipment 2 from a satellite circuit I/F part 32 via a ciphering circuit and a satellite circuit. The equipment 2 receives the information from the information offer device and automatically carries out a receiving program. Then the equipment 2 reproduces the signals received through an antenna 31 at the part 32 and decodes the ciphers through a cipher decoding circuit 34 to record the decoded ciphers to an information accumulation device 35. Then the information are used and read based on the available period information after these information are accumulated in the equipment 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information providing service system for supplying information to a plurality of terminal devices by an information transmission system, and particularly efficiently supplying information having a large amount of information such as video and music. The information providing service system for

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional information providing service system has been realized as a database system or a personal computer communication system in which a terminal and an information provider are connected to each other by using a telephone line or the like to retrieve information desired by the user.

The conventional information providing service system is suitable for an information providing service for extracting information such as text information, which has a relatively small amount of information and has no limit on the information transfer rate.

[0004]

However, in the conventional information providing service system, when the amount of information such as music or video is huge, the information transmission speed of the line becomes a bottleneck, and the transmission time is longer than the real time. However, there is a problem that the line cost is increased due to the long time.

Further, although the use of broadcasting increases the transmission speed and facilitates the transmission of information, the information provider cannot manage the information once sent because the transmission direction is unidirectional. There is a problem that it is not possible to charge even if an illegal copy is made because it is not known whether the information is used.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and manages enormous information such as video and music efficiently and transmits it at high speed by broadcasting, and the information providing side charges the user side. It is intended to provide an information providing service system that can be easily performed.

[0007]

An information providing service system according to the present invention comprises an information storage means for storing a plurality of information,
An information supply device having time management information storage means for recording time management information for time management of a plurality of information, and information output means for outputting the time management information and the plurality of information to an information transmission system, and an information supply device Receiving means for receiving the time management information and the plurality of pieces of information from the information transmission system output by the information output means, storage means for storing the received time management information and the plurality of pieces of information, and storage in the storage means based on the time management information And an information terminal device having a control means for controlling the reading of the plurality of pieces of information that have been created.

The terminal device of the present invention stores the plurality of information transmitted by the information transmission system and the receiving means for receiving the time management information for time management of the plurality of information, and the received time management information and the plurality of information. It is configured to include a storage unit and a control unit that controls reading of a plurality of pieces of information stored in the storage unit based on the time management information.

The information providing service method of the present invention includes an information storing step of storing a plurality of information, a time management information storing step of recording time management information for time management of the plurality of information, a time management information and a plurality of information. To the information transmission system, a reception step of receiving a plurality of information transmitted by the information transmission system and time management information for time management of the plurality of information, and a received time management information and the plurality of information. It is configured to include a storing step for storing and a control step for controlling reading of the plurality of information stored in the storing step based on the time management information.

[0010]

[Operation] In the information providing service system of the present invention, in the information terminal device, the receiving means receives the time management information and the plurality of information from the information transmission system, and the storage means stores the received time management information and the plurality of information. Then, the control means controls the reading out of the plurality of information stored in the storage means based on the time management information.

In the terminal device of the present invention, the receiving means receives the plurality of information transmitted by the information transmission system and the time management information for time managing the plurality of information, and the storage means receives the time management information and the plurality of information. Store information. Then, the control means controls the reading out of the plurality of information stored in the storage means based on the time management information.

According to the information providing service method of the present invention, time management information for time management of a plurality of information is recorded in the time management information storing step, and the time management information and the plurality of information are output to the information transmission system in the information output step. To do. Further, the plurality of information transmitted by the information transmission system and the time management information for time management of the plurality of information are received in the receiving step, and the reading of the plurality of stored information is controlled based on the received time management information. To be done.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 8 relate to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information providing system, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the information providing apparatus of FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the user terminal device of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a format diagram showing an information format of information used in the information providing system of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a process of the information providing system of FIG. FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the flow of the whole, FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the flow of the information use and browsing processing of FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the flow of the charging processing of FIG. 6, and FIG. It is a flow chart which shows a flow of processing which distinguishes information which has expired.

As shown in FIG. 1, the information providing system of the present embodiment includes an information providing apparatus 1 for providing information and a user terminal apparatus for receiving information from the information providing apparatus 1 and making it available to the user. 2, and information transmission between the information providing apparatus 1 and the user terminal apparatus 2 is performed by a wireless satellite line using a communication satellite 3 and a wired communication network 4 such as ISDN.

As shown in FIG. 2, the information providing device 1 includes a first information storage device 11 as an information storage means for storing information to be sent to the user, billing information for each user, and user information. Second information storage device 1 as time management information storage means for storing telephone number, personal characteristic information and expiration date
2, an encryption circuit 13 for encrypting information, a conversion circuit 14 for converting the information encrypted by the encryption circuit 13 into transmission information in a data format of a predetermined protocol so as to be transmitted to the line, and a conversion circuit. Satellite line interface section 16 as information output means for transmitting transmission information in a predetermined data format from 14 to communication satellite 3 via antenna 15.
And a communication interface unit 17 for transmitting transmission information in a predetermined data format from the conversion circuit 14 to the communication network 4, a control program for controlling transmission of information, and management information of the first information storage device 11. ROM 18 and ROM
CPU for executing the control program stored in 18
19, a RAM 20 for storing various status data according to a control program executed by the CPU 19, a CP including a data bus, an address bus, a control bus, and the like.
It is composed of a U19 system bus 21. Hereinafter, the term "interface" is abbreviated as "I / F".

As shown in FIG. 3, the user terminal device 2 has a satellite line I / F section as a receiving means for receiving the transmission information transmitted from the information providing device 1 by the communication satellite 3 via the antenna 31. 32, a communication I / F unit 33 as a transmission / reception means for receiving the transmission information transmitted from the information providing apparatus 1 by the communication network 4, and the transmission received by the satellite line I / F unit 32 or the communication I / F unit 33. A decryption circuit 34 for decrypting the encryption of the information by the encryption circuit 13, an information storage device 35 as a storage means for storing the information decrypted by the decryption circuit 34, and an ID card (not shown) A card reading device 36 for reproducing personal management information for managing the use of the terminal device 2, a control program for controlling reception of information, and management information for the information storage device 35 are stored. A ROM 37, C as a control means for executing a control program stored in the ROM 37
The PU 38 and various status data by the control program executed by the CPU 38 and the card reading device 3
RAM 39 for storing the personal management information reproduced by 6
An operating device 40 for instructing the CPU 38 to execute the control program; a display circuit 42 for displaying information read from the information storage device 35 on the display device 41 based on an instruction from the operating device 40; a data bus and an address bus; It is composed of a system bus 43 of the CPU 38 including a control bus and the like.

Next, a case where ISDN is used as a communication network for controlling the expiration date of the operation of the information providing system will be described.

When the information providing device 1 regularly provides the user terminal device 2 with detailed information, the CPU 19 at the set predetermined timing on the information providing device 1 side.
Reads out the outline information in which the table of contents, outline, etc. of the detailed information to be transmitted is recorded from the first information storage device 11, and connects the satellite line from the satellite line I / F unit 16 to the satellite line from the antenna 15 via the encryption circuit 13. The outline information is sent to the user terminal device 2 via.

On the side of the user terminal device 2, the outline information received by the antenna 31 is reproduced by the satellite line I / F unit 33, and the cipher decoding circuit 34 deciphers the cipher and records it in the information storage device 35.

FIG. 4 shows the format of the received information. As shown in FIG. 4, the information includes an information header 51 including a management code described later and an information section 52 indicating the content of the information.
And an end code 53 indicating the end of information. The management code of the information header 51 includes an information start code 54 indicating the start of information, a file name 55 of information, an information identification ID 56 for identifying information, and information File size 57 indicating the size of the information, expiration date flag 58 of the information indicating whether the information is available, classification code 59 indicating the genre of the information, and whether the information is a text, a moving image, a still image, or a combination execution format thereof. An information type code 60 indicating the type of information indicating the information, and an information target code 61 indicating the target of the information indicating what kind of user the information is supposed to be.
And the expiration date 62 of the information indicating the expiration date of the information
And the information information creation date 63.

Next, the overall processing flow will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, in step S1, the CPU 19 of the information providing apparatus 1 first reads the transmission schedule and executes the transmission program. next,
The CPU 19 reads out the information from the first information storage device 11 in step S2, and transmits the satellite line I via the encryption circuit 13.
Information is transmitted from the / F unit 16 to the user terminal device 2 via the satellite line.

On the other hand, the user terminal device 2 operates in step S3.
In step S4, the reception program is automatically executed when information is provided from the information providing device 1 side, the signal received from the antenna 31 is reproduced by the satellite line I / F unit 32, and the encryption is performed by the decryption circuit 34. Is decoded and recorded in the information storage device 35. After the above steps S1 to S4 are repeated to store information in the user terminal device 2, the information is used and browsed based on the expiration date information in step S5.

Next, the use and browsing process of information in step S5 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, in step S21, the user reads the card reading device 36.
Insert an ID card (not shown) in which your personal information is recorded. Next, the CPU 38 performs step S22.
Of the information read from the card reading device 36, information for identifying an individual is copied to the RAM 39. Next, CPU3
8 reads the directory (table of contents) information of the information accumulated from the information accumulating device 35 in step S23. Then, the CPU 38 displays the read directory information on the display device 41 in step S24.

Next, in step S25, the user selects and specifies the information to be read from the directory information using the operation device 40. Next, the CPU 38 searches where in the information storage device 35 the information selected and designated in step S26 is located. Next, the CPU 38 proceeds to step S
At 27, the actual information is read from the information storage device 35.

Header information 51 is added to each read information, as shown in FIG. Therefore, the header information 5 of the information designated and selected in step S28
The information expiration date 62 in 1 is compared with the current date and time, and if it is within the expiration date, the contents read / display process is started in step S29, and then the process ends. If the expiration date has passed, the CPU 38 outputs a message prompting the user to specify whether or not to accept the additional charge because the information corresponding to the display device 41 has passed the expiration date in step S30.

In step S30, if the user accepts the billing, the billing process is performed with the information providing device 1 side via the communication I / F unit 33, and then the process proceeds to step S29. If the billing is not accepted, the process returns to the information selection in step S25. That is, if the billing is accepted and the expiration date remains, the information is displayed in step S29.

Next, the flow of the charging process in step S30 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7, in step S41, the user terminal device 2 first makes a call to the preset information providing device 1 to connect the communication line. Next, in step S42, the CPU 38 causes the RAM 3
The user ID for identifying the individual existing in 9 is sent to the information providing apparatus 1. Next, the CPU 38 sends the identification ID of the information requesting the extension of the term to the information providing device 1 in step S43.

In the information providing device 1, the above information is communicated by the communication I.
When receiving from the F / F unit 17, the CPU 19 proceeds to step S
At 44, the billing information of the user stored in the second information storage device 12 is searched. Then, the CPU 19 updates the charging information of the corresponding user in step S45 by charging the information identification ID for which the extension of the expiration date is designated.

Next, the CPU 19 issues a new expiration date to the user terminal device 2 in step S46. Next, the CPU 19 sends the expiration date issued in step 47 to the user terminal device 2 together with the information identification ID via the communication I / F unit 17.

Then, the CPU 38 of the user terminal device 2
Receives the new expiration date and information identification ID via the communication I / F unit 33 in step S48. Next, the CPU 38
Updates the header information 51 of the information based on the update information received in step S49. After that, the information can be read until the new expiration date ends.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the expiration date is set for each piece of information, the expiration date is extracted by the user terminal device at the time of reading, and a fee is charged for reading the information that has exceeded the expiration date. At the same time, the expiration date is updated, so that enormous information such as video and music can be efficiently managed and transmitted at high speed by broadcasting, and the information provider can easily charge the user.

In the information providing system of this embodiment, the header information 51 of all the information stored in the information storage device 12 is checked at regular intervals, and the directory information is used as the expired information. It has a function that can be distinguished when displaying.

The control for realizing this function will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The CPU 38 has a real-time clock, and as shown in FIG.
The maintenance program is started at a constant time interval of 1. Next, the CPU 38 reads the header information 51 of the information stored in the information storage device 35 in step S62. Next, the CPU 38 reads the information regarding the expiration date from the header information 51 in step S63 and compares it with the current date and time. Next, in step S64, it is determined whether the expiration date has expired, and when the expired information is displayed on the display device 41 as the directory information in step S65, a display attribute indicating that the expiration date has expired (for example, An expiration flag is set in the header information so that the information name can be displayed (dashed line), the process proceeds to step S66, and the steps from step S66 are performed on the header information of all information in the information storage device. Done,
In step S67, a list of information is displayed and the process ends.

When the user tries to use the information in the information storage device in this way, the latest state is always displayed.

In this embodiment, the case where the ISDN line is used as the communication network has been described, but it can be easily realized by combining with an analog telephone network, another satellite communication, or a communication network such as LAN.

[0038]

As described above, according to the information providing service system of the present invention, in the information terminal device, the time when the time management information and the plurality of information are received from the information transmission system by the receiving means and received by the storage means. The management information and a plurality of information are stored, and the control means controls reading of the plurality of information stored in the storage means based on the time management information, so that a huge amount of information such as images and music can be efficiently managed. Then
There is an effect that the information is transmitted at high speed by broadcasting and the information provider can easily charge the user.

According to the terminal device of the present invention, the plurality of information transmitted by the information transmission system and the time management information for time management of the plurality of information are received, and the plurality of information stored in the storage means based on the time management information. Since it controls the reading of information, it is possible to manage efficiently, receive a huge amount of information such as video and music transmitted at high speed by broadcasting, and make it easy for the information provider to charge the user. There is an effect that can be.

According to the information providing service method of the present invention, time management information for time management of a plurality of information is recorded,
Outputs time management information and multiple pieces of information to the information transmission system. Further, the plurality of information transmitted by the information transmission system and the time management information for time management of the plurality of information are received, and the reading of the plurality of stored information is controlled based on the received time management information. Therefore, there is an effect that an enormous amount of information such as video and music can be efficiently managed and transmitted at high speed by broadcasting, and the information provider can easily charge the user.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of an information providing system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the information providing device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a user terminal device of FIG.

4 is a format diagram showing an information format of information used in the information providing system of FIG.

5 is a flowchart showing an overall flow of processing of the information providing system of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of a process of using and browsing the information of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of a charging process of FIG.

8 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing for distinguishing information whose expiration date has expired by the information providing system of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Information Providing Device 2 User Terminal Device 3 Communication Satellite 4 Communication Network 11 First Information Storage Device 12 Second Information Storage Device 13 Encryption Circuit 14 Conversion Circuit 15, 31 Antenna 16, 32 Satellite Line I / F Unit 17, 33 Communication I / F unit 18,37 ROM 19,38 CPU 20,39 RAM 21,43 System bus 34 Cryptanalysis circuit 36 Card reading / writing device 35 Information storage device 40 Operating device 41 Display device 42 Display circuit

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. Information storage means for storing a plurality of information,
An information supply device having time management information storage means for recording time management information for time management of the plurality of information, and information output means for outputting the time management information and the plurality of information to an information transmission system; Receiving means for receiving the time management information and the plurality of information from the information transmission system output by the information output means of the supply device; storage means for storing the received time management information and the plurality of information; An information providing service system, comprising: an information terminal device having a control unit for controlling reading of the plurality of information items stored in the storage unit based on time management information. 2. The information providing service system according to claim 1, wherein the time management information is expiration date information which is set for each of the plurality of pieces of information and permits reading. 3. The information providing service system according to claim 2, wherein the expiration date information is updated by updating charging information imposed on each of the plurality of pieces of information. 4. Receiving means for receiving a plurality of information transmitted by an information transmission system and time management information for time management of the plurality of information, and storage means for storing the received time management information and the plurality of information. An information terminal device, comprising: a control unit that controls reading of the plurality of pieces of information stored in the storage unit based on the time management information. 5. The information terminal device according to claim 4, wherein the time management information is expiration date information which is set for each of the plurality of pieces of information and permits reading. 6. The information terminal device according to claim 5, wherein the expiration date information is updated by updating the charging information imposed on each of the plurality of pieces of information. 7. An information storage step of storing a plurality of information, a time management information storage step of recording time management information for time management of the plurality of information, and an information transmission system for storing the time management information and the plurality of information. An information output step of outputting to the information transmission system, a receiving step of receiving a plurality of information transmitted by the information transmission system and time management information for time management of the plurality of information, and storing the received time management information and the plurality of information. And a control step for controlling reading of the plurality of information stored in the storage step based on the time management information.