JP2002014739A - System and method for charging, content executing device, charging monitor device, and charging controller, and program and recording medium used for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a charging method, a content executing device, a charging monitor device, and a charging controller which charge contents for the use, and a program and a recording medium used for them as to a charging method for the use of contents, a content executing device, a charging monitor device, and a charging controller, and a program and recording medium used for them. SOLUTION: When contents to be charged on a terminal device are accessed, a license file is checked to allow the contents to be used when access permission conditions are met. When not met, a certificate and information for identifying the contents to be charged are sent to a charging server, so that the use of the contents is allowed on the terminal device after the acknowledgement is obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a charging system, a charging method, a content execution device, a charging monitoring device, a charging control device, and a program and a recording medium used therefor. The present invention relates to a billing system, a billing method, a content execution device, a billing monitoring device, and a billing control device that enable various billing settings, and a program and a recording medium used therein.

In recent years, as the performance of personal computers has improved, advanced information processing such as 3D image processing has become possible. However, software for 3D image processing is expensive and cannot be easily purchased and used by a user. Upgrades are also being made actively, and in order to always use the latest version of software, it is necessary to purchase upgrade software every time the upgrade is performed. As described above, at present, the cost performance is poor and it is difficult to use for users who use it less frequently.

[0003] Therefore, there is a demand for a method of providing software in which billing is performed at the time of use or the like.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of providing and executing software, there is a method of purchasing a recording medium on which software is recorded for a fee, installing the medium on a terminal device, and executing the program. There is also a method of connecting a terminal device to a server via a network, transmitting data from the terminal, and executing a program on the server.

[0005]

However, according to the conventional software providing method, users who use the software less frequently are required to use 3D.
When expensive software such as an image processing program is used, there is a problem that cost performance deteriorates. In addition, even in the case of charging for usage time through communication, communication must be performed constantly during use, which increases communication costs and takes time for communication for processing. There were problems such as becoming large.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and a billing method, a content execution device, a billing monitoring device, and a billing control device capable of performing billing without performing unnecessary communication, and a program and a program used therefor. It is intended to provide a recording medium.

[0007]

According to the present invention, a license file is checked when an access is made to a chargeable content on a terminal device, and if the access permission condition is satisfied, the access to the content is permitted as it is. If the access permission conditions are not satisfied, a certificate and information for identifying the content to be charged are added to the charging server and transmitted. When the certificate is approved, the license file is updated and charging is performed. To urge the application program to access the content.

According to the present invention, the terminal communicates with the accounting server only when the application program is started up, and by updating the license file by performing the accounting, the application program can access the contents. Communication between the device and the billing server can be minimized.

[0009]

FIG. 1 shows a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] The system 1 of the present embodiment comprises a billing server 2,
The network 3 includes terminal devices 4-1 to 4-n. The business 11 is a user 1 of the terminal devices 4-1 to 4-n.
2, the recording medium 13 is provided in advance. In the recording medium 13,
A program provided from the business 11 to the user 12 is recorded. The provided program includes an application program and a monitoring module that monitors use of the application program.

Next, the accounting server 2 will be described in detail.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a billing server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The billing server 2 includes a communication control unit 21, a data processing unit 22, a memory 23, an input device 23, and an output device 2.
4. It comprises a storage device 26 and a bus 27.

The communication control section 21 is connected to the network 3 and controls communication with the network 3. The data processing unit 22 is connected to the terminal devices 4-1 to 4-4 via the network 3.
A process for charging based on the charging information supplied from -n is executed. The memory 23 is used as a work storage area of the data processing unit 22.

The input device 24 includes a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and is used for inputting an instruction for a processing operation of the data processing unit 22 and the like. The output device 25 includes a display, a printer, and the like.
Outputs the processing result of.

The storage device 26 stores a customer database 28,
It comprises a usage database 29 and a program storage unit 30. The bus 27 transmits data and control signals among the communication control unit 21, the data processing unit 22, the memory 23, the input device 24, the output device 25, and the storage device 26.

Next, the customer database 28 will be described in detail. Information about the user 12 is stored in the customer database 28.

FIG. 3 shows a data structure of a customer database according to one embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the customer database 28 stores information such as the member ID, name, address, telephone number, age, and settlement method of the user 12 in a database.
The member ID is an identification number determined for each user at the time of registration. The name is information on the name of the user 12. The address is information indicating the location of the user 12. telephone number is,
This is information indicating the telephone number of the contact of the user 12. The age is information indicating the age of the user 12. Payment method,
Information indicating a settlement method of a fee charged for using the software is stored. As a settlement method, for example,
There are methods by credit card and bank transfer. In the case of a method using a credit card, information such as a credit card number is added. A certificate is issued to the user 12 registered in the customer database 28, and use of the application is permitted.

The usage status database 29 includes the business 1
Information on the use status of the software provided from 1 to the user 12 is stored.

FIG. 4 shows a data configuration diagram of the usage database according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The usage status database 29 includes a member ID,
It consists of information such as date and time of use and application used. The member ID is an identification number of the user 12 who has used the application. The use date is information indicating the date and time when the application was used. The used application is information for identifying the used application. Charging is performed by the use status database 29.

The program storage unit 30 stores a charging processing program to be executed by the data processing unit 22.

Next, the terminal devices 4-1 to 4-N will be described.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of a terminal device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The terminal device 4-i includes a communication control unit 31, a data processing unit 32, a memory 33, an input device 34, and an output device 3.
5, storage device 36, CD-ROM disk drive 3
7. A floppy (registered trademark) disk drive 38 and a bus 39. In addition, the terminal device 4-i indicates any one of the terminal devices 4-1 to 4-n.

The communication control unit 31 is connected to the network 37 and controls communication with the accounting server 2. The data processing unit 32 executes an application program installed in the storage device 33. The memory 33 is used as a work storage area of the data processing unit 32.

The input device 34 includes a keyboard and a mouse, and is used for instructing activation of an application program and inputting data. The output device 35 includes a display, a printer, and the like, and outputs a processing result in the data processing unit 32 and the like. The storage device 36 includes a hard disk drive, and stores application programs and data.

The CD-ROM disk drive 37 has
A CD-ROM disk 40 is mounted. CD-ROM
The disk drive 37 reads data recorded on the CD-ROM disk 40. A floppy disk 41 is mounted on the floppy disk drive 38. The floppy disk drive 38 magnetically records data on the floppy disk 41 and reads data magnetically recorded on the floppy disk 41.

The bus 39 communicates data with the communication control unit 31, data processing unit 32, memory 33, input device 34, output device 35, storage device 36, CD-ROM disk drive 37, and floppy disk drive 38. Performs signal transmission.

The recording medium 13 provided from the business 11 to the user 12 is, for example, the CD-ROM disk 38.
And a floppy disk 41. The application program stored on the CD-ROM disk 38 or the floppy disk 41 corresponding to the recording medium 13 is
The data is read out by the D-ROM disk drive 37 or the floppy disk drive 38 and installed in the storage device 36. At this time, a monitoring module that monitors the use of the application program is installed in the recording medium 13 together with the application program.

When the application program is activated, the monitoring module is activated, communicates with the billing server 2, and receives permission to use the application program.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described in detail.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation at the time of registration according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Here, the operation when the recording medium 13 is provided on the CD-ROM disc 40 will be described.

The company 11 provides the user 12 with a recording medium 13 on which an application program incorporating a charging function and a monitoring module are recorded free of charge.

The user 12 receives the recording medium 13 from the business 11 in step S1-1, and installs the application program in the terminal device 4-i in step S1-2. When the monitoring module is not installed in the terminal device 4-i, it is necessary to install the monitoring module at the same time in step S2-1.

Here, the operation when the monitoring module is installed will be described.

When the monitoring module is installed in step S2-1, a member registration screen is displayed.

FIG. 7 shows a member registration screen according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The member registration screen 41 includes a name input section 42, an address input section 43, a telephone number input section 44, an age input section 45,
Settlement method selector 46, send button 47, clear button 4
8. In the name input section 42, the name of the member registrant is input. In the address input section 43, the address of the member registrant is input. In the telephone number input section 44, the contact telephone number of the member registrant is input. In the age input section 45, the age of the member registrant is input. Settlement method selection part 4
6, a credit card selection unit 46a and a bank transfer selection unit 46b are set, for example. The user 12 clicks on the credit card selection section 46a to select a payment method using a credit card, and clicks on the bank transfer selection section 46b to select a payment method using bank transfer.

After inputting the name, address, telephone number, and age, selecting the settlement method, and clicking the send button 47, the above data is entered, and the information on the name, address, telephone number, age, and settlement method is displayed. Sent to billing server 2. The billing server 2 sends the name, address,
When the information of the telephone number, age, and settlement method is received, the received information is registered in the customer database 28 shown in FIG. 3 in step S3-1, and a certificate for the terminal device 4-i is generated. The certificate comprises, for example, a unique sequence of numbers.

The accounting server 2 transmits the certificate generated in step S3-2 to the terminal device 4-i.

Upon receiving the certificate from the accounting server 2, the terminal device 4-i installs the certificate in the monitoring module in step S2-3. As described above, the monitoring module becomes operable, and the application program becomes operable.

When the business operator 11 sets the application program provided on the recording medium 13 to be available for trial use, the trial license file is stored in the monitoring module when the application program is installed in step S1-2. You. The trial license file is a file in which trial conditions such as a trial period are recorded. Upon receiving the license file, the monitoring module installs the trial license file received in step S2-4.

As described above, the user 12 is registered in the customer database 28 of the charging server 2. Next, the operation when the application program is executed will be described.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention when the application program is executed.

In the terminal device 4-i, step S1-
In step S1-12, the application program checks the trial license file with the monitoring module in step S1-12 by using the charging function incorporated by the business operator 11 when the application program accesses the content whose charging target is determined in advance. Make an inquiry for When the trial license file is confirmed by the charging function of the application program, the monitoring module checks in step S2-11 whether the trial license file is valid for the application program, and returns the check result to the application program. The check item of the monitoring module is, for example, determination of whether or not the period is within the trial period.

Upon receiving the check result of the trial license file from the monitoring module, the application program determines in step S1-13 whether the check result is valid or invalid. If the result of the check in step S1-13 indicates that the trial license file is valid, the application program is made executable in step S1-14.

If the check result of the license file is invalid in step S1-13, it is determined in step S1-15 whether or not the license file is updated. Step S1-15 is performed in the terminal device 4-i.
Is displayed on the display screen of the user 12 to inquire of the user 12 whether or not the license file has been updated, and the display is determined by an instruction from the user 12.

If the user 12 instructs not to update the license file in step S1-15, it can be determined that the application program is not used, and the process is terminated in step S1-16.

If the user 12 instructs to update the license file in step S1-15, it can be determined that the application program is to be used. Issue a billing request.

When the monitoring module is notified of the billing request from the application program, the monitoring module proceeds to step S2-1.
In step 2, billing information is transmitted to the billing server 2.

FIG. 9 shows a data configuration diagram of the billing information according to one embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 9, the billing information is issued from the billing server 2 in step S3-2 in FIG. 6 and the ID of the application program to be executed, and is notified to the monitoring module in step S2-3. . Consists of a certificate.

Upon receiving the billing information from the monitoring module, the billing server 2 checks whether the certificate of the billing information notified in step S3-11 is valid. The check result in step S3-11 is notified to the monitoring module.

Upon receiving the notification of the check result from the accounting server 2, the monitoring module reports the check result to the application program in step S2-13.
When notified of the check result from the monitoring module, the application program determines in step S1-18 from the check result whether or not charging has been completed.

When the charging is completed in step S1-18, the application program is made executable in step S1-14. If the charging is not completed in step S1-18, the registration is not completed or the certificate is invalid, so the application program is terminated in step S1-16.

The billing server 2 determines in step S3-1
If it is determined in step S1 that the certificate is valid, a new license file is generated in step S3-12 and transmitted to the monitoring module. Upon receiving the new license file from the accounting server 2, the monitoring module installs the new license file in step S2-14.

The billing server 2 determines in step S3-1
After the generation and transmission of the new license file are completed in step 2, the billing information and the date and time information shown in FIG. 9 are stored in the use status database 29 shown in FIG. 4 in step S3-13.

The user 12 is charged by the use status database 29 shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the application program is distributed free of charge and the terminal device 4 of each user 12 is distributed.
-1 to 4-n, and the user 12 activates the installed application program on the terminal device 4-i to communicate with the accounting server 2 and perform accounting. -1 to 4-n
Since the application program can be executed by its own operation, communication with the accounting server 2 can be minimized.

In this embodiment, the activation is performed only when the application program is activated. However, the license file may be checked at predetermined time intervals, charged, and the license file may be updated.
In this way, billing can be performed in units of use time.

Further, the charge method may be such that the license file is updated by the monitoring module, and the charge is accessed by accessing the charge server 2 every predetermined number of updates. By doing so, the number of times of communication with the accounting server 2 can be reduced.

In this embodiment, the description has been made on the assumption that the monitoring module functions as an application. However, the monitoring module is installed in the OS, and
It may be executed on an OS. At this time, the application program can perform a normal operation without having to determine whether or not the content is to be charged each time the content is accessed. Where O
S detects access to the content from the application, and at this time, it is necessary to determine whether or not the content is to be charged. In the processing after the determination, access to the accounting server or the like is performed as in the case described above.

Further, in the present embodiment, the application program is provided on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM disk or a floppy disk. However, the application program may be provided by communication via the network 3. In this embodiment, the case where the application program is executed has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the case where the application program is executed, and can be generally applied to so-called content provided by a computer. Further, the present invention is also applicable to a case where contents to be charged are accessed from an application program.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0068]

As described above, according to the present invention, according to the present invention, communication with the accounting server is performed only when the application program is started, and the license file is updated by performing the accounting, whereby the license file is updated. By enabling access to the content, the communication between the terminal device and the billing server can be minimized, so that the content user can be reduced in the burden of communication fees.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a billing server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a data configuration diagram of a customer database according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a data configuration diagram of a usage database according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of registration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a member registration screen according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the embodiment of the present invention when an application program is executed.

FIG. 9 is a data configuration diagram of charging information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 system 2 charging server 3 network 4-1 to 4-n terminal device 11 business operator 12 user 13 recording medium

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. A means for notifying a registration certificate from the terminal device to the charging server when the terminal device pre-registered in the charging server accesses content to be charged, and the registration device in the charging server Means for confirming the validity of the certificate and performing billing; when the registration certificate is authenticated, the billing server notifies the terminal device of access permission for the content, and the content can be accessed in the terminal device. A charging system comprising: 2. A step of notifying a registration certificate from the terminal device to the charging server when accessing a charging target content in a terminal device registered in advance in the charging server; A procedure for confirming the validity of the certificate and performing charging; and when the registration certificate is authenticated, the charging server notifies the terminal device of access permission of the content, and the content can be accessed in the terminal device. A charging method comprising the steps of: A determining step of determining whether a condition for accessing the content is satisfied when an access to the content is performed; and determining that the condition for accessing the content is satisfied as a result of the determination in the determining step. And an access control procedure for enabling access to the content when the condition for accessing the content is not satisfied when the condition is satisfied. How to bill. 4. A judging procedure for judging whether a condition for accessing the content is satisfied, and charging the charging server when the condition for accessing the content is not satisfied as a result of the judgment in the judging procedure. And an update procedure for updating a condition for accessing the content to a condition for enabling access to the content from the charging server. 5. A certificate determining step of receiving a certificate issued in advance corresponding to registration information of a terminal device and determining whether the certificate is valid, and a determination result in the certificate determining step Is transmitted to the terminal device, and if the result of the determination is that the certificate is valid, information indicating that a condition for access to the content has been newly generated is generated, and information to be transmitted to the terminal device is generated. A charging method, comprising: an updating procedure; and a charging procedure for charging the terminal device. 6. A determination means for determining whether or not a condition for accessing the content is satisfied when the content is accessed. As a result of the determination by the determination means, a condition for accessing the content is satisfied. Access control means for enabling access to the content when the content is stored, and when the condition for accessing the content is not satisfied, charging the content to enable access to the content. apparatus. 7. A judging means for judging whether or not a condition for accessing the content is satisfied, and, as a result of the judgment by the judging means, when the condition for accessing the content is not satisfied, notifying the charging server of the charging. And updating means for updating a condition enabling access to the content with a condition for accessing the content from the charging server and enabling access to the content. Billing monitoring device. 8. The charging monitoring apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said determining means, said charging notifying means, and said updating means are executed on an OS of a terminal device. 9. A certificate judging means for receiving a certificate issued in advance corresponding to the registration information of the terminal device, and judging whether or not the certificate is valid; A result is transmitted to the terminal device, and if the result of the determination is that the certificate is valid, information indicating that a condition for newly accessing content is satisfied is generated, and the terminal device generates And a charging unit for charging the terminal device. 10. A determination procedure for determining whether or not a condition for accessing the content is satisfied when a request to access the content is made to a computer, and as a result of the determination in the determination procedure, When the condition for accessing the content is satisfied, the content is made accessible. When the condition for accessing the content is not satisfied, an execution control procedure for making the content accessible by charging is executed. A program characterized by that: 11. A determining step for determining whether or not a condition for accessing content is satisfied in a computer; and as a result of the determination in the determining step, when a condition for accessing the content is not satisfied, a charging server A charge notification procedure for notifying a charge to the server; and updating a condition for accessing the content with a condition for accessing the content from the charging server.
And an update procedure for enabling access to the content. 12. A certificate determining step for receiving, in a computer, a certificate issued in advance corresponding to registration information of a terminal device, and determining whether or not the certificate is valid; And transmitting the result of the determination to the terminal device, and when the determination result indicates that the certificate is valid, generates information indicating that a condition for newly accessing the content is satisfied, and transmits the information to the terminal device. A program for executing an information updating procedure to be transmitted and a billing procedure for billing the terminal device. 13. A determination procedure for determining whether or not a condition for accessing the content is satisfied when a request to access the content is made to a computer, and as a result of the determination in the determination procedure, When the condition for accessing the content is satisfied, the content is made accessible. When the condition for accessing the content is not satisfied, an execution control procedure for making the content accessible by charging is executed. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program. 14. A determining step for causing a computer to determine whether or not a condition for accessing the content is satisfied. As a result of the determining step, when the condition for accessing the content is not satisfied, the charging server A charging notification procedure for performing charging notification, and updating a condition for accessing the content with a condition for accessing the content from the charging server,
A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for executing an updating procedure for making the content accessible. 15. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 14, wherein the determination procedure, the accounting notification procedure, and the update procedure are programs executed on an operating system of the computer. 16. A certificate determining step in which a computer receives a certificate issued in advance corresponding to registration information of a terminal device and determines whether or not the certificate is valid. The result of the determination is transmitted to the terminal device, and when the determination result indicates that the certificate is valid, information indicating that a condition for newly accessing the content is satisfied is generated, and the terminal device A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for executing an information updating procedure to be transmitted to the terminal device and a charging procedure for charging the terminal device.