JP2016053807A - Authority management device, authority management service providing system, authority management method, and authority management service providing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manage authorities of a user for using services which can be provided from a plurality of service providers in a unitary manner independently of the service providers.SOLUTION: A storage part 12 of an authority management device 1 is configured to store provision approval information and user authority information. An authority inquiry reception part 171 is configured to, from a service providing device of any service provider among a plurality of service providers, receive identification information of the service provider, identification information of a user and identification information of a service requested by the user. An authority confirmation part 172 is configured to, on the basis of an approval state set in the provision approval information specified by the received identification information of the service provider and the received identification information of the service and a right state set in the user authority information specified by the received identification information of the user and the received identification information of the service, determine whether or not the provision of the service from the service provider to the user is permitted, and transmits the determination result to the service providing device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an authority management device, an authority management service providing system, an authority management method, and an authority management service providing method.

When there are a large number of service providers who provide services licensed from the right holder, a user who is a user of the service selects a service provider and contracts with the selected service provider to receive the service. For example, in the case of an electronic book service, a service provider that provides an electronic book service to a general user is related to the usage method and usage fee of the electronic book with the right holder of the electronic book such as an author or a publisher. By signing a contract, permission to provide the electronic book to the user is obtained. The user purchases and uses an electronic book by selecting a service provider from among a number of service providers that have received permission from the right holder.
On the other hand, there is a technology that centrally manages information about users and makes it possible to refer to the managed information from a plurality of service providers (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

JP 2001-249984 A JP 2003-323492 A

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a service provider of an e-book service has provided an e-book to a user with permission by concluding a contract regarding a usage method and a usage fee with a right holder such as an author or a publisher. And the authority in which a user uses an electronic book was managed not by the right holder of the electronic book but by the service provider. Therefore, even if the user is the same electronic book, the user needs to acquire user authority to use the electronic book for each service provider. However, service providers are not compensated for continuing service forever. When the service provider interrupts the service provision, the user cannot use the purchased electronic book even if contracted with another service provider, and has to purchase again from the newly contracted service provider. Thus, even if a user purchases an electronic book through a certain service provider, it is necessary to purchase again in order to receive service provision of the same electronic book from another service provider. This gave the impression that electronic books could not be purchased with confidence, and was one of the reasons that potential users were hesitant to use the service.
In addition, the right holder of the e-book is only informed of the sales volume necessary for payment of the right fee from each service provider, and the right holder does not know the specific usage status of the e-book. It was difficult. In other words, the service provider has reported the sales volume of the e-book that is the basis of the e-book usage fee to the right holder, but does not disclose specific information about the user who purchased the e-book. There was no way to confirm that the sales volume was correct. When the right holder tries to manage the user authority of each user, the right holder needs to develop and operate the authority database system. In addition, service providers must connect authority databases of a large number of rights holders with different specifications, which is unrealistic.
As described above, the user authority is managed by each service provider, so that the convenience of the service provider is prioritized, and it is difficult to realize the convenience of the right holder of the service and the user of the service.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is possible to centrally manage the authority of a user to use a service that can be provided from a plurality of service providers independently from the service provider. An authority management apparatus, an authority management service providing system, an authority management method, and an authority management service providing method are provided.

  In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention provides provision permission information in which service identification information, service provider identification information, and a permission state for provision of the service from the service provider are associated with each other. A storage unit that stores user authority information in which user identification information, identification information of the service, and a right state indicating a state of authority for the user to use the service are associated with each other; Authority inquiry to receive the service provider identification information, the user identification information, and the service identification information requested by the user from the service provider device of any one of the service providers The service provider identification information received by the reception unit and the authority inquiry reception unit, and the provision permission information specified by the service identification information. Based on the set permission state and the right state set in the user right information specified by the user identification information and the service identification information received by the right inquiry receiving unit, the service An authority management apparatus comprising: an authority confirmation unit that determines whether or not provision of the service from the provider to the user is permitted, and transmits a determination result to the service providing apparatus.

  One aspect of the present invention is the authority management apparatus described above, further comprising an authentication request unit that requests the user management apparatus that manages users to perform user authentication based on the identification information of the user, and the authority confirmation The unit further permits the service provider to provide the user based on whether the user authentication based on the user identification information received by the authority inquiry receiving unit is successful. It is characterized by judging whether it is done.

  One aspect of the present invention is the authority management device described above, wherein the user information including information related to the attribute of the user that has been successfully authenticated by the user is acquired from the user management device and written to the storage unit. A registration unit is further provided.

  One aspect of the present invention is the authority management apparatus described above, wherein the user identification information is associated with a communication key issued when the user authentication based on the user identification information is successful. Depending on whether or not the combination of the user identification information and the communication key stored in the storage unit and received by the service providing apparatus from the service use terminal used when the user uses the service is stored in the storage unit It further comprises an authentication unit for confirming the validity of.

  One aspect of the present invention is the authority management apparatus described above, wherein the authority confirmation unit has succeeded in the user authentication based on the user identification information received by the authority inquiry reception unit, and The user cannot use the service when the user authority information specified by the user identification information and the service identification information received by the authority inquiry reception unit is not stored in the storage unit. It is judged that.

  Also, one aspect of the present invention is the above-described authority management apparatus, which is a service permission associated with service identification information, service provider identification information, and permission status received from the authority manager's authority management apparatus. The provision permission information management part which writes information in the said memory | storage part is further provided, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  Also, one aspect of the present invention is the authority management device described above, wherein the user identification information and the usage procedure target from the service provider device of the service provider that the user has performed the usage procedure of the service. A user authority registration request receiving unit that receives service identification information, and the authority confirmation unit determines that the service provider that has performed the use procedure can provide the user with the service to be used. And a user authority registration unit that writes user authority information in which the user identification information received by the user authority registration request receiving unit is associated with the service identification information and a right state indicating availability can be stored in the storage unit. It is further provided with the feature.

  Another aspect of the present invention is the authority management apparatus described above, wherein the user authority information includes user identification information, service identification information, and a service procedure destination service that the user has performed the service use procedure. The association between the provider and the right state indicating the state of authority for the user to use the service is shown, and the user authority registration request receiving unit is a service provider device of the service provider that the user has used Receiving the identification information of the user, the identification information of the service subject to the usage procedure, and the identification information of the service provider that the user performed the usage procedure, and the user authority registration unit performs the usage procedure. When the authority confirmation unit determines that the performed service provider can provide the user with the service subject to the use procedure, the user authority registration request is required. The user identification information and the service identification information received by the reception unit, and the use procedure destination service provider set with the service provider identification information received by the user authority registration request reception unit, and the use permission are indicated. User authority information associated with a right state is written in the storage unit.

  One aspect of the present invention is the authority management device described above, wherein the authority confirmation unit is configured to identify the user authority specified by the user identification information and the service identification information received by the authority inquiry reception unit. When the service provider identification information different from the service provider identification information received by the authority inquiry receiving unit is set in the use procedure destination service provider set in the information, the user It is determined that the use procedure of the service has been completed by another company.

  Moreover, one aspect of the present invention is the authority management apparatus described above, wherein the user authority information further includes information on a usage period of the service, and the authority confirmation unit further includes the authority inquiry receiving unit. Provision of the service from the service provider to the user is permitted based on the expiration date information set in the user authority information specified by the received user identification information and the service identification information. It is characterized by judging whether or not.

  One embodiment of the present invention is the authority management device described above, wherein the service is an electronic book service.

  One embodiment of the present invention is an authority management service providing system having an authority management device and service providing devices for each of a plurality of service providers, wherein the service providing device of the service provider is serviced by a user. Receiving the identification information of the user and the identification information of the service requested by the user from the service use terminal used when using the service, and receiving the identification information of the service provider, the received identification information of the user, and The authority inquiry unit that transmits the service identification information to the authority management device, and the authority management device can provide the user identification information and the service identification information that are transmitted by the authority inquiry unit. A service providing unit that provides the service to the service using terminal when receiving a determination result indicating Stores service permission information in which service identification information, service provider identification information, and a permission state for provision of the service from the service provider are associated with each other, user identification information, and the service A storage unit for storing user authority information in which identification information of the user is associated with a right state indicating a state of authority for the user to use the service, and a service of any one of the plurality of service providers The authority inquiry receiving unit that receives the identification information of the service provider, the identification information of the user, and the identification information of the service requested by the user, and the authority inquiry receiving unit received from the providing device The permission status set in the provision permission information specified by the identification information of the service and the identification information of the service provider, and the authority The service provider provides the user with the service based on the user identification information received by the combination receiving unit and the right state set in the user authority information specified by the service identification information. An authority management service providing system comprising: an authority confirmation unit that determines whether or not permission is granted and transmits a determination result to the service providing apparatus.

  One embodiment of the present invention is an authority management method executed by an authority management apparatus, wherein the authority management apparatus includes service identification information, service provider identification information, and the service from the service provider. The provision permission information that associates the permission state with respect to the provision of the service is stored, and the identification information of the user, the identification information of the service, and the right state that indicates the state of the authority of the user to use the service are associated with each other A storage unit that stores the user authority information, and the authority inquiry receiving unit of the authority management apparatus is configured to receive the service provider's service from the service provider apparatus of any one of the plurality of service providers. An authority inquiry receiving step of receiving identification information, identification information of the user, and identification information of the service requested by the user; authority of the authority management device; The authorization unit sets the permission state set in the service provider identification information received in the authority inquiry reception step and the provision permission information specified by the service identification information, and in the authority inquiry reception step. Whether the service provider is permitted to provide the service based on the received user identification information and the right status set in the user authority information specified by the service identification information. And an authority confirmation step of transmitting the determination result to the service providing apparatus.

  Further, one aspect of the present invention is an authority management service providing method executed by an authority management service providing system having an authority management apparatus and service providing apparatuses for each of a plurality of service providers, wherein the authority management apparatus includes: Service provision information that associates service identification information, service provider identification information, and permission status for provision of the service from the service provider is stored, and user identification information and service identification are stored. A storage unit that stores user authority information in which information is associated with a right state that indicates a state of authority for the user to use the service, and the authority inquiry unit of the service providing apparatus includes From the service use terminal used when using the service, the user identification information, the service identification information requested by the user, An authority inquiry step for receiving and transmitting the service provider identification information, the received user identification information and the service identification information to the authority management apparatus; and an authority inquiry receiving unit of the authority management apparatus An authority inquiry receiving step of receiving, from the service providing apparatus, identification information of the service provider, identification information of the user, and identification information of the service requested by the user; The permission confirmation unit sets the permission status set in the provision permission information specified by the service provider identification information and the service identification information received in the permission query reception step, and the permission query reception step. The right set in the user authority information specified by the user identification information and the service identification information received in An authority confirmation step of determining whether the service provider is permitted to provide the service to the user based on the status, and transmitting the determination result to the service providing apparatus; And a service providing step of providing the service to the service using terminal when the determination result received from the authority management device indicates that the service can be provided. .

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the authority of the user for using the service which can be provided from several service providers can be managed centrally independently of a service provider.

It is a block diagram of the authority management service provision system by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a functional block diagram which shows the structure of the authority management apparatus by the embodiment. It is a functional block diagram which shows the structure of the service provision apparatus by the embodiment. It is a functional block diagram which shows the structure of the service utilization terminal by the embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the provision permission information by the embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the user authority information by the embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the user management information by the embodiment. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram of registration of provision permission information in the authority management service provision system according to the embodiment. It is a sequence diagram of service use start of the authority management service providing system according to the embodiment. It is a sequence diagram of a service use procedure of the authority management service providing system according to the embodiment. It is a sequence diagram of service use completed service use of the authority management service providing system according to the embodiment. It is a sequence diagram of service provider transfer of the authority management service providing system according to the embodiment. It is a sequence diagram of service use completed service use from the transfer destination service provider of the authority management service providing system according to the embodiment.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an authority management service providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the authority management service providing system includes an authority management apparatus 1, a right holder management terminal 2, a service provision apparatus 3, a service use terminal 4, and a user management apparatus 5. The authority management device 1, right holder management terminal 2, service providing device 3, and user management device 5 are connected to a network 8. The network 8 may be a public network such as the Internet or a private network such as a dedicated line. The service providing device 3 and the service using terminal 4 are connected to the network 9. The network 9 is a public network such as the Internet, but may be a private network. In the figure, the authority management service providing system includes a plurality of right holder management terminals 2 held by right holders A, B, and C, and a plurality of service use terminals 4 held by users A, B, and C, Each of the user managers A, B, and C has a plurality of user management devices 5, but the right holder management terminal 2, service use terminal 4, and user management device 5 are each one. obtain. Further, depending on the service, the service using terminal 4 may be a terminal owned by a user other than the user. The user is a user of the service.

  The authority manager manages the service provision authority of each service provider and the user authority of each user independently of the service provider. Service provision authority is a right to provide a service to a user. The user authority is a right for the user to use the service. The authority management apparatus 1 possessed by the authority manager manages service providing authority information of each service provider, and user authority and service usage history information of each user.

The right holder has the right to license the service. The right holder registers information of the service provider to whom the service providing authority is granted in the authority management apparatus 1 using the right holder management terminal 2. The right holder accesses the right management apparatus 1 from the right holder management terminal 2 and refers to the usage status of the service for which the right holder has the right.
The service provider who has received permission from the right holder, that is, to which the service providing authority has been granted, uses the service providing apparatus 3 for the authority management apparatus 1 to use the service provided to the user, that is, to which the user authority has been granted. Register with. Each service providing device 3 makes an inquiry to the authority management device 1 as to whether or not the service can be provided to the user when the service is requested by the user. provide. A user who is a user of the service uses the service provided through the service provider by the service use terminal 4.
As a result, the right holder can easily grant permission for service provision, give the user authority to the user, and refer to the service usage history. Further, the service provider can easily give the user authority to the user and refer to the user authority of each user.

  The user manager manages information about each user. The authority management device 1 uses a user ID used for managing information related to the user in the user management device 5 held by the user administrator as information for identifying the user. The user ID is identification information that identifies the user. Conventionally, users are managed by user IDs that can specify users only within each service provider, and it has been difficult to specify users across service providers. In the present embodiment, by using the user ID used by the user management apparatus 5, it is possible to specify a user using a common user ID in a plurality of service providing apparatuses.

  For example, when the service is an electronic book service which is one of content providing services, the right holder is a writer or publisher who is the right holder of the electronic book. And the authority management apparatus 1 manages the service provider which can provide each electronic book, the electronic book which each user can use, and its utilization log | history. The service provider provides an electronic book service using the service providing device 3. The service providing apparatus 3 inquires of the authority management apparatus 1 as to whether or not the electronic book requested by the user can be provided. The authority management device 1 can provide an electronic book to the user when the service provider is permitted to provide the electronic book by the right holder and the user has the user authority to use the electronic book. Notify that. The user uses the electronic book service provided from the service providing apparatus 3 by the service use terminal 4. The user manager is, for example, a social media service operator. The user ID used for managing information about each user in the user management apparatus 5 is an open ID (OpenID) that can be used in common at various sites. The authority management device 1 acquires information about the user from the user management device 5 using this user ID.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the authority management apparatus 1, and only functional blocks related to the present embodiment are extracted and shown. The authority management device 1 can be realized by one or a plurality of computer devices, and includes a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a processing unit 13, as shown in FIG.

  The communication unit 11 transmits and receives data to and from other devices via the network 8. The storage unit 12 stores various data such as service management information, provision permission information, registered user information, and user authority information. The service management information includes information such as a service ID and a service right holder. The service ID is identification information that uniquely identifies the service. The provision permission information indicates information of a service provider having service provision authority. The registered user information includes user attribute information such as user ID, user name, e-mail address, gender and age. The user authority information indicates information on services each user has a user authority.

  The processing unit 13 includes a service management unit 14, a provision permission information management unit 15, a user management unit 16, an authority notification unit 17, a user authority management unit 18, and a totaling unit 19.

  The service management unit 14 writes the service management information received from the right holder management terminal 2 in the storage unit 12. The provision permission information management unit 15 receives the information of the service provider who permits the provision of the service from the right holder management terminal 2 and writes the provision permission information based on the received information in the storage unit 12. Further, the provision permission information management unit 15 updates the provision permission information stored in the storage unit 12 in accordance with an instruction from the right holder management terminal 2.

  The user management unit 16 includes an authentication request unit 161, a user registration unit 162, and an authentication unit 163. The authentication request unit 161 requests the user management apparatus 5 for user authentication based on the user ID. The user registration unit 162 acquires information about a user who starts using the service from the user management apparatus 5 and registers registered user information based on the acquired information in the storage unit 12. The authentication unit 163 stores the communication key issued when the user authentication by the user management apparatus 5 is successful in association with the user ID in the storage unit 12. The authenticating unit 163 confirms the validity of the user based on whether or not the combination of the user ID and the communication key received by the service providing apparatus 3 from the service using terminal 4 is stored in the storage unit 12.

  The authority notifying unit 17 includes an authority inquiry receiving unit 171 and an authority confirming unit 172. The authority inquiry receiving unit 171 receives an inquiry as to whether a service can be provided to the user from the service providing apparatus 3 of the service provider selected by the user. The authority confirmation unit 172 confirms the service providing authority of the service provider and the user authority of the user according to the inquiry received by the authority inquiry receiving unit 171, determines whether the service can be provided, and provides the service of the inquiry source Notify the device 3.

The user authority management unit 18 includes a user authority registration request reception unit 181 and a user authority registration unit 182. The user authority registration request receiving unit 181 receives a user authority registration request from the service providing apparatus 3. The user authority registration unit 182 registers user authority information based on the user authority registration request received by the user authority registration request reception unit 181 in the storage unit 12.
The totaling unit 19 outputs the service usage status obtained based on the provision permission information, registered user information, and user authority information stored in the storage unit 12 to the right holder management terminal 2.

  FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the service providing apparatus 3, and only functional blocks related to the present embodiment are extracted and shown. The service providing apparatus 3 can be realized by one or a plurality of computer devices. As shown in the figure, the service providing apparatus 3 includes a communication unit 31, a storage unit 32, and a processing unit 33. Composed.

  The communication unit 31 transmits and receives data to and from other devices via the network 8 or the network 9. The storage unit 32 stores various data such as information related to services that the service provider is permitted to provide from the right holder and contractor information. The contractor information includes information on attributes such as a login ID, a name, an e-mail address, a gender and an age of a user who has contracted for service provision.

The processing unit 33 includes a provision permission information acquisition unit 331, a user registration request unit 332, an authority inquiry unit 333, a usage procedure processing unit 334, a user authority registration request unit 335, and a service provision unit 336.
The provision permission information acquisition unit 331 receives information on the service permitted to be provided by the right holder from the authority management device 1 and writes the information in the storage unit 32. The user registration request unit 332 requests the authority management device 1 to register a user who has contracted for service provision. The authority inquiry unit 333 inquires of the authority management apparatus 1 whether the service requested by the user can be provided. The usage procedure processing unit 334 performs usage procedure processing. The usage procedure process is a process related to a procedure for allowing a user to use a service subject to a usage procedure from a service provider. The usage procedure process varies depending on the service and the service provider, but includes, for example, a service usage fee settlement process. The user authority registration request unit 335 requests the authority management apparatus 1 to register a service licensed to the user. In response to the inquiry from the authority inquiry unit 333, the service providing unit 336 provides a service to the user service use terminal 4 when notified from the authority management device 1 that provision is possible.

  FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of the service using terminal 4, and only functional blocks related to the present embodiment are extracted and shown. The service using terminal 4 is a computer terminal such as a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a mobile phone, or a dedicated terminal. As shown in the figure, the service using terminal 4 includes a communication unit 41, an input unit 42, a processing unit 43, and an output unit 44. The communication unit 41 transmits / receives data to / from other devices via the network 9. The input unit 42 is an interface for inputting a user operation. The processing unit 43 executes an application process for using the service. The application for using the service differs for each service provider. The output unit 44 is a display or a speaker, and displays data and outputs sound.

  Hereinafter, a case where the service is an electronic book service will be described as an example.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of provision permission information stored in the storage unit 12 of the authority management device 1. As shown in the figure, the provision permission information is information in which a right holder ID, a service ID, a service provider ID, a user administrator ID, a permission state, an upper price, a lower price, an update history, and the like are associated with each other. The right holder ID is identification information for uniquely specifying the right holder. The service ID is information for uniquely identifying an electronic book that is a service. For example, a content ID of the electronic book is used. The service provider ID is identification information that uniquely identifies the service provider. The user manager ID is identification information that uniquely identifies the user manager. The permission status indicates the current status as to whether or not the service provider is permitted to provide the electronic book, and sales permission (service can be provided) / distribution stop (service cannot be provided) /... Are set. The upper price indicates a price provided to the user. The lower price indicates the amount paid to the right holder. The update history indicates the update date and time of the license status, the updater who updated the license status, and the license status before and after the update. The updater is the ID of the right holder who has updated the permission status.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of user authority information stored in the storage unit 12 of the authority management apparatus 1. As shown in the figure, the user authority information is information in which a user administrator ID, a user ID, a right holder ID, a service ID, a creation date and time, a last update date and time, a right state, an update history, and the like are associated with each other. The creation date / time indicates the date / time when user authority information was newly registered. The last update date and time indicates the date and time when the right status was last updated. The rights state indicates the current state of the authority for the user to use the electronic book, such as viewing permission (service available, with viewing authority) / browsing cancellation (service unavailable, without viewing authority) /. The update history includes detailed information related to the date of update of the rights status, the updater, the rights status before and after the update, the upper and lower costs generated along with the update of the rights status, and the update of the rights status. The updater is the ID of the right holder or service provider who has updated the right state. For example, an updater of history information in which “sales” is set in the detailed information is an electronic book use procedure destination service provider.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of user management information stored in the user management apparatus 5. As shown in the figure, the user management information is information in which a user ID, user authentication information, and user information are associated with each other. The user ID is user identification information used by the user administrator to identify the user, for example, an account used by the user in the social media service. The user authentication information is information used for user authentication, for example, information obtained by encrypting a password. The user information includes information such as the user's name, gender, date of birth, and mail address.

Next, the operation of the authority management service providing system will be described.
Hereinafter, the right holder management terminal 2 of the right holder A will be described as the right holder management terminal 2a, the service providing apparatus 3 of the service provider A will be described as the service providing apparatus 3a, and the service providing apparatus 3 of the service provider B will be described as It is described as a service providing device 3b. Further, the service use terminal 4 of the user A is described as a service use terminal 4a, and the user management device 5 of the user manager A is described as a user management device 5a. Furthermore, the service provider ID of the service provider A is described as a service provider ID (A), and the service provider ID of the service provider B is described as a service provider ID (B).

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram of registration of provision permission information of the authority management service providing system. In the figure, a case where the service provider A starts to provide an electronic book with permission from the right holder A is shown.
First, the right holder management terminal 2a transmits a service registration request to the authority management device 1 (step S105). In the service registration request, the service ID, right holder ID, and content information of the electronic book are set. The service management unit 14 of the authority management device 1 registers the service management information in which the service ID, right holder ID, and content information of the electronic book read from the service registration request are set in the storage unit 12 (step S110). The service management unit 14 returns a service registration completion in which the service ID is set to the right holder management terminal 2a (step S115).

  Provision permission negotiation is performed between the right holder A and the service provider A (step S120). After the negotiation is completed, the right holder management terminal 2a of the right holder A transmits a provision permission registration request for registering the contents according to the negotiation result (step S125). In the provision license registration request, the right holder ID of the right holder A, the service ID of the electronic book, the service provider ID (A), the user administrator ID of the user administrator who can use the user ID, and the service provider A The registration provision permission information indicating the permission state “sales permission”, the upper fee, the lower fee, and the updater is set. The provision permission information management unit 15 of the authority management apparatus 1 generates provision permission information based on the registered provision permission information acquired from the received provision permission registration request, and registers it in the storage unit 12 (step S130). The provision permission information management unit 15 notifies the right holder management terminal 2a of the completion of provision permission registration (step S135). Furthermore, the provision permission information management unit 15 transmits a provision permission update notification to the service provider device 3a of the service provider A specified by the service provider ID (A) acquired from the provision permission registration request (step S140).

  The provision permission information acquisition unit 331 of the service provision apparatus 3a transmits a provision permission information request to the authority management apparatus 1 (step S145). The provision permission information management unit 15 of the authority management apparatus 1 reads the provision permission information related to the service provider A from the provision permission information stored in the storage unit 12, and returns a provision permission information response in which the read provision permission information is set. (Step S150). Only the provision permission information that is different from the previous provision permission information response may be set in the provision permission information response. The provision permission information acquisition unit 331 of the service provision device 3a reads the provision permission information from the received provision permission information response and writes it in the storage unit 32. In addition, the service providing apparatus 3 a acquires service management information of the electronic book that is newly permitted to be provided from the authority management apparatus 1 (or right holder management terminal 2 a), and writes it in the storage unit 32. Furthermore, the service providing apparatus 3a acquires an electronic book that is newly permitted to be provided from the right holder management terminal 2a, for example. An electronic book is data obtained by digitizing a book.

  When updating the registered provision permission information, the right holder management terminal 2a transmits a provision permission update request. In the provision permission update request, right holder ID, service ID, updater, and update provision permission information indicating update contents are set. The update content indicates a service provider ID to be updated, a user administrator ID, a license status, an upper price, a lower price, and the like. The provision permission information management unit 15 of the authority management apparatus 1 updates the registration provision permission information specified by the right holder ID and the service ID set in the update provision permission information based on the update contents. After the update, the provision permission information management unit 15 notifies the right holder management terminal 2a of the completion of the provision permission update, and transmits a provision permission update notification to the service provider device 3 of the service provider whose provision permission information has been updated. The processing from step S145 to step S150 is executed between the service providing apparatus 3 and the authority management apparatus 1 that have received the provision permission update notification.

FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram of service use start of the authority management service providing system. This figure shows a case where the user newly starts using an electronic book service provided by the service provider A.
The service using terminal 4a accesses the service providing apparatus 3a of the service provider A selected by the user A as the service using destination. The processing unit 43 of the service using terminal 4a transmits a user registration request in which the user ID input by the user through the input unit 42 and the user administrator ID of the user administrator A are set to the service providing apparatus 3a (step S205). . A part of the user ID may be a user administrator ID. The user registration request unit 332 of the service providing apparatus 3a sets the user ID and user administrator ID read from the received user registration request to the user authentication request and transmits them to the authority management apparatus 1 (step S210). The authentication request unit 161 of the authority management device 1 reads the user ID and the user administrator ID from the received user authentication request. The authentication request unit 161 sets the read user ID as an open ID (OpenID) authentication request, and transmits it to the user management device 5a of the user manager specified by the user manager ID (step S215).

  The user management apparatus 5a acquires the user ID from the open ID authentication request received from the authority management apparatus 1. When the acquired user ID is set in the user management information, the user management device 5a transmits authentication information in which an authentication key and a URL (Universal Resource Locator) corresponding to the user ID are set to the authority management device 1 ( Step S220). The authentication request unit 161 of the authority management device 1 transmits the received authentication information to the service use terminal 4a (step S225). When the service use terminal 4a reads the URL and the authentication key from the received authentication information, the service using terminal 4a accesses the user management apparatus 5a using the read URL as a destination, and reads the read authentication key and the password input by the user through the input unit 42. The set user authentication request is transmitted (step S230). In the user management device 5a, a combination of the user ID corresponding to the authentication key set in the user authentication request and the user authentication information generated from the password set in the user authentication request is set in the user management information. If it is determined that the user authentication is successful. If the user authentication is successful, the user management device 5a transmits a result key to the service use terminal 4a (step S235). The service using terminal 4a transmits the user authentication result in which the received result key is set to the authority management device 1 (step S240).

  When the authentication request unit 161 of the authority management device 1 receives a user authentication result in which a result key indicating success of user authentication is set from the service use terminal 4a, the user registration unit 162 determines whether the user is an existing user. The user registration unit 162 determines that the user is a newly registered user because the registered user information set with the user ID and the user administrator ID read from the user authentication request is not stored in the storage unit 12 (step S245). The user registration unit 162 transmits a user information request in which the user ID is set to the user management device 5a (step S250). Note that the user registration unit 162 transmits an inquiry as to whether or not to permit the use of user information to the service use terminal 4a, and transmits a user information request to the user management apparatus 5a when a permission notification is returned. It may be. The user management device 5a identifies user management information based on the user ID set in the user information request, and reads the user information. The user management apparatus 5a transmits a user information response in which the read user information is set to the authority management apparatus 1 (step S255). Note that the user management apparatus 5a may set only part of the user information as the user information response. Here, information such as e-mail address, gender, date of birth, etc. is set.

  When receiving the user information response, the user registration unit 162 of the authority management device 1 writes the registered user information in which the user administrator ID and the user ID and the user information read from the user information response are set in the storage unit 12 (step S1). S260). The user registration unit 162 transmits user authentication completion for which user information has been set to the service providing apparatus 3a (step S265). The user registration request unit 332 of the service providing device 3a generates contractor information and writes it in the storage unit 32 (step S270). In the contractor information, a user ID and a user administrator ID, user information read out after completion of user authentication, and a login key assigned to the user by the user registration request unit 332 are set. The user registration request unit 332 transmits service use registration completion with the assigned login key set to the service use terminal 4a (step S275). Note that the OpenID authentication procedure in steps S210 to S240 may differ depending on the service provider or user administrator.

FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram of a service use procedure of the authority management service providing system. This figure shows a case where the user newly purchases an electronic book from the service provider A and uses it after the OpenID authentication and the user registration are completed by the procedure of FIG.
The service using terminal 4a accesses the service providing device 3a of the service provider A. The processing unit 43 of the service utilization terminal 4a transmits a provision request in which the log-in key for the electronic book service of the service provider A and the service ID of the electronic book to be purchased are set to the service provision apparatus 3a (step S305). The authority inquiry unit 333 of the service providing apparatus 3a reads the user ID corresponding to the login key from the contractor information. The authority inquiring unit 333 makes a provision availability inquiry in which the service provider ID (A) of the service provider A, the user ID read from the contractor information, and the service ID read from the provision request are set. (Step S310).

  When the authority inquiry receiving unit 171 of the authority management apparatus 1 receives the provision availability inquiry, the authority confirmation unit 172 confirms whether or not the service provider A is permitted to provide the electronic book requested by the user for purchase. (Step S315). When the authority confirmation unit 172 reads the service provider ID (A), the user ID, and the service ID from the provision availability inquiry, the authority confirmation unit 172 reads the user administrator ID corresponding to the user ID from the registered user information. The authority confirmation unit 172 stores provision permission information specified by the service ID and the service provider ID (A) in the storage unit 12. The provision permission information includes a permission state indicating sales permission and the read user. If the administrator ID is set, it is determined that provision by the service provider A is permitted.

  When determining that the service provider A is permitted to provide the service, the authority confirmation unit 172 confirms the user authority (step S320). First, the authority confirmation unit 172 determines whether or not the read user ID is set in the registered user information. When determining that the user ID is set in the registered user information, the authority confirmation unit 172 searches the user authority information using the combination of the user ID and the service ID read from the provision availability inquiry as a key. The authority confirmation unit 172 determines that the user authority information specified by the key is not purchased (cannot be used) because it is not stored in the storage unit 12. If the authority confirmation unit 172 permits the service provider A to provide the electronic book that the user requested to purchase, and determines that the user has not purchased the electronic book, the authority confirmation unit 172 determines whether the electronic book can be provided and not purchased. The set provision availability response is returned to the service providing apparatus 3a (step S325).

  When provision is possible and unpurchased is set in the provision availability response received by the authority inquiry unit 333 of the service providing apparatus 3a, the usage procedure processing unit 334 uses the usage procedure including a settlement process for selling the electronic book. Processing is performed with the service using terminal 4a (step S330). For example, the service providing apparatus 3a notifies the selling price of the electronic book and transmits screen data for inputting a settlement method to the service using terminal 4a. The service using terminal 4a notifies the service providing apparatus 3a of the payment method input by the user through the input unit 42. The usage procedure processing unit 334 of the service providing apparatus 3a performs a payment process according to the payment method received from the service usage terminal 4a. When the usage procedure processing by the usage procedure processing unit 334 is normally completed, the user authority registration request unit 335 transmits a user authority registration request to the authority management device 1 (step S335). In the user authority registration request, a service provider ID (A), a user ID, a service ID, a right state “viewing permission”, and detailed information “sales” are set.

  When the user authority registration request receiving unit 181 of the authority management apparatus 1 receives the user authority registration request, the user authority registration unit 182 receives the service provider ID (A), user ID, User authority information is generated based on the service ID and the right state, and written in the storage unit 12 (step S340). The user authority information includes the user administrator ID read from the registered user information specified by the user ID, the right holder ID read from the provision license information specified by the service ID and the service provider ID (A), Lower cost is also set. The user authority registration unit 182 returns registration completion to the service providing apparatus 3a (step S345). The user authority registration request unit 335 of the service providing apparatus 3a registers the service ID of the sold electronic book in association with the contractor information specified by the login key (step S350). The service providing unit 336 of the service providing apparatus 3a transmits a providing response to the service using terminal 4a (Step S355). When receiving the provision response, the processing unit 43 of the service using terminal 4a outputs the electronic book provided from the service providing unit 336 of the service providing apparatus 3a to the output unit 44.

  Note that in step S315, the authority confirmation unit 172 of the authority management apparatus 1 determines that there is no provision permission information specified by the service ID and the service provider ID (A), or permits the specified provision permission information to be sold. When the permission state to be shown is not set or when the read user administrator ID is not set, it is determined that provision is not possible, and a provision availability response in which provision is not possible is transmitted to the service providing apparatus 3a. The authority inquiring unit 333 of the service providing apparatus 3a notifies the service use terminal 4a that the service is not permitted when the provision unavailable / prohibited response is set.

  FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram of using a service that has been used by the authority management service providing system. This figure shows a case where the user views an electronic book purchased from the service provider A by the electronic book service provided by the service provider A after the processing of FIG. Therefore, the user's OpenID authentication is complete.

  The service using terminal 4a accesses the service providing device 3a of the service provider A. The processing unit 43 of the service utilization terminal 4a provides a provision request in which the login key for the electronic book service of the service provider A and the service ID of the electronic book selected by the input unit 42 as a viewing target by the user are set. It transmits to 3a (step S405). The authority inquiry unit 333 of the service providing apparatus 3a reads the user ID corresponding to the login key from the contractor information. The authority inquiring unit 333 makes a provision availability inquiry in which the service provider ID (A) of the service provider A, the user ID read from the contractor information, and the service ID read from the provision request are set. (Step S410).

  When the authority inquiry receiving unit 171 of the authority management apparatus 1 receives the provision availability inquiry, the authority confirmation unit 172 permits the provision of the electronic book requested by the user to the service provider A through the same processing as in step S315. It is confirmed whether it has been done (step S415). If it is determined that the provision is permitted, the authority confirmation unit 172 confirms the user authority (step S420). First, the authority confirmation unit 172 determines whether or not the user ID read from the provision availability inquiry is set in the registered user information. When determining that the user ID is set in the registered user information, the authority confirmation unit 172 searches the user authority information using the combination of the user ID and the service ID read from the provision availability inquiry as a key. The authority confirmation unit 172 detects the user authority information specified by the key, sets “permission allowed” in the right state of the detected user authority information, and the service of the service provider ID (A) in the update history. If it is set to be sold by the provider, it is determined that the purchase has been completed (use procedure has been completed). When the authority confirmation unit 172 is permitted to provide the electronic book that the user requested to purchase to the service provider A, and the user determines that the electronic book has been purchased, the authority confirmation unit 172 confirms that the electronic book can be provided and has been purchased. The set provision availability response is returned to the service providing apparatus 3a (step S425).

  When provision possible and purchased are set in the provision availability response received by the authority inquiry unit 333 of the service providing apparatus 3a, the service utilization terminal 4a determines to start providing the electronic book (step S430). The service providing unit 336 of the service providing apparatus 3a transmits a provision response to the service using terminal 4a (step S435). When receiving the provision response, the processing unit 43 of the service using terminal 4a outputs the electronic book provided from the service providing unit 336 of the service providing apparatus 3a to the output unit 44.

  Note that the authority confirmation unit 172 of the authority management apparatus 1 transmits, to the service providing apparatus 3a, a provision permission / rejection response in which no user authority is set when the right state “permission canceled” is set in the user authority information. When the determination result indicates that there is no user authority, the authority inquiry unit 333 of the service providing apparatus 3a performs predetermined processing such as notifying the service use terminal 4a of service non-permission or inquiring about purchase.

  FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram of changing service providers in the authority management service providing system. This figure shows a case where a user who has already registered in the electronic book service of service provider A starts using the electronic book service of service provider B after the processing of FIG. 10 or FIG. 11.

  The service using terminal 4a accesses the service providing apparatus 3b of the service provider B selected by the user as a new service using destination. The processing unit 43 of the service using terminal 4a transmits a user registration request in which the user ID and the user administrator ID of the user administrator A are set to the service providing apparatus 3b (step S505). The user registration request unit 332 of the service providing apparatus 3b sets the user ID and user administrator ID read from the received user registration request in the user authentication request and transmits them to the authority management apparatus 1 (step S510).

  The processing from step S515 to step S540 is the same as the processing from step S215 to step S240 shown in FIG. When the authentication request unit 161 of the authority management device 1 receives a user authentication result in which a result key indicating successful user authentication is set from the service use terminal 4a, it is determined whether or not the user is an existing user. Since the registered user information in which the user ID read from the user authentication request and the user administrator ID are set is stored in the storage unit 12, the user registration unit 162 determines that the user is an existing user (step S545). The user registration unit 162 transmits user authentication completion in which the user information read from the registered user information is set to the service providing apparatus 3b (step S550). The user registration request unit 332 of the service providing device 3b generates contractor information and writes it in the storage unit 32 (step S555). In the contractor information, a user ID and a user administrator ID, user information read out after completion of user authentication, and a login key assigned by the user registration request unit 332 are set. The user registration request unit 332 transmits a service use registration completion with the assigned login key set to the service use terminal 4a (step S560).

  FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram of use of a service that has been used by the transfer destination service provider of the authority management service providing system. In FIG. 12, after the OpenID authentication and the user registration with the service provider B are completed by the procedure of FIG. 12, the user purchases an electronic book purchased from the service provider A by the electronic book service provided by the service provider B. It shows the case where it can be used.

  The service using terminal 4a accesses the service providing device 3b of the service provider B. The processing unit 43 of the service use terminal 4a sends a provision request in which a service provider B login key for electronic book service and a service ID of an electronic book that can be used by the service provider B are set. (Step S605). The authority inquiry unit 333 of the service providing device 3b reads the user ID corresponding to the login key from the contractor information. The authority inquiring unit 333 makes a provision availability inquiry in which the service provider ID (B) of the service provider B, the user ID read from the contractor information, and the service ID read from the provision request are set. (Step S610).

  When the authority inquiry reception unit 171 of the authority management apparatus 1 receives the provision availability inquiry, the authority confirmation unit 172 requests the service provider B to make the user available for use by the same process as step S315. It is confirmed whether or not the provision of is permitted (step S615). That is, when the authority confirmation unit 172 reads the service provider ID (B), the user ID, and the service ID from the provision availability inquiry, the authority confirmation unit 172 reads the user administrator ID corresponding to the user ID from the registered user information. The authority confirmation unit 172 stores provision permission information specified by the service ID and the service provider ID (B) in the storage unit 12, and the provision permission information includes a permission state indicating sales permission and the read user. If the administrator ID is set, it is determined that provision by the service provider B is permitted.

  If it is determined that the service provider B is permitted to provide the service, the authority confirmation unit 172 confirms the user authority (step S620). First, the authority confirmation unit 172 determines whether or not the read user ID is set in the registered user information. When determining that the user ID is set in the registered user information, the authority confirmation unit 172 searches the user authority information using the combination of the user ID and the service ID read from the provision availability inquiry as a key. The authority confirmation unit 172 detects the user authority information specified by the key, sets “permission allowed” in the right state of the detected user authority information, and sets other than the service provider ID (B) in the update history. If it is set that the product has been sold by the service provider, it is determined that the other company has purchased (the service has already been used by another company). Since the authority provider 172 is permitted to provide an electronic book by the service provider B, and the user has already purchased the electronic book by another company, the authority confirmation unit 172 provides a service availability device that can provide and set the other company purchased. It returns to 3b (step S625).

  When the provision availability response received by the authority inquiry unit 333 of the service provision apparatus 3b is set to “providable” and “purchased by other company” is set, the usage procedure processing unit 334 manages the purchased electronic books and displays a list. When there is a charge for using the function, use procedure processing such as settlement processing is performed with the service use terminal 4a as necessary (step S630). When the usage procedure processing by the usage procedure processing unit 334 is normally completed, the user authority registration request unit 335 transmits a user authority registration request to the authority management device 1 (step S635). In the user authority registration request, a service provider ID (B), a user ID, a service ID, a right state “browsing permission”, and a provider first use are set.

When the first use of the provider is set in the user authority registration request received by the user authority registration request receiving unit 181 of the authority management apparatus 1, the user authority registration unit 182 adds an update history to the user authority information (step S640). ). The user authority registration unit 182 identifies the user authority information based on the service provider ID (B), the user ID, and the service ID. The update history of the identified user authority information includes the update date and time, the updater, the pre-update state “view permission” ", Updated status" permitted to browse ", detailed information" provider first use ". The service provider ID (B) is set for the updater. The user authority registration unit 182 returns registration completion to the service providing apparatus 3b (step S645). The user authority registration request unit 335 of the service providing apparatus 3b registers the service ID of the electronic book that can be used as necessary in association with the contractor information specified by the login key (step S650). The service providing unit 336 of the service providing apparatus 3b transmits a providing response to the service using terminal 4a (Step S655). When receiving the providing response, the processing unit 43 of the service using terminal 4a outputs the electronic book provided from the service providing unit 336 of the service providing apparatus 3b to the output unit 44.
The processes in steps S635 to S645 described above are omitted if not necessary.

  Note that the authentication request unit 161 of the authority management device 1 periodically transmits an open ID authentication request to the user management device 5 for each user ID set in the registered user information, and the steps of the OpenID authentication procedure shown in FIG. User authentication may be performed by the same processing as in step S215 to step S240. The authentication request unit 161 of the authority management device 1 determines that the user ID that has not received the user authentication result in which the result key indicating the user authentication success is set from the service using terminal 4 is illegal. The authority confirmation unit 172 determines that there is no user authority for all services for a user with an invalid user ID.

  In addition, the service using terminal 4 may set the result key set in the user authentication result transmitted from the user management apparatus 5 as a communication key during communication with the service providing apparatus 3 in the OpenID authentication procedure. The authentication unit 163 of the authority management device 1 writes the user ID and the result key read from the user authentication result in the storage unit 12 in association with each other. When the service providing apparatus 3 transmits the user ID received from the service using terminal 4 to the authority management apparatus 1, the service providing apparatus 3 also transmits the result key received from the service using terminal 4. The authentication unit 163 of the authority management apparatus 1 determines whether the user ID and result key combination stored in the storage unit 12 matches the user ID and result key combination received from the service providing apparatus 3. Confirm. The authentication unit 163 determines that the user is valid if they match, and determines that the user ID is incorrect if they do not match. The authority confirmation unit 172 determines that there is no user authority for all services for a user with an invalid user ID.

  Further, the authentication unit 163 of the authority management device 1 assigns a communication key to the service use terminal 4 when receiving a user authentication result set with a result key indicating success of user authentication from the service use terminal 4 in the OpenID authentication procedure. You may send it. The authentication unit 163 writes the user ID and the assigned communication key in the storage unit 12 in association with each other. The service using terminal 4 sets the received communication key when communicating with the service providing apparatus 3. When the service providing apparatus 3 transmits the user ID received from the service using terminal 4 to the authority management apparatus 1, the service providing apparatus 3 also transmits the communication key received from the service using terminal 4. The authentication unit 163 of the authority management device 1 determines whether the user ID and result key combination stored in the storage unit 12 matches the user ID and communication key combination received from the service providing device 3. Confirm. The authentication unit 163 determines that the user is valid if they match, and determines that the user ID is incorrect if they do not match. The authority confirmation unit 172 determines that there is no user authority for all services for a user with an invalid user ID.

  An expiration date for the electronic book may be set in the user authority information. The authority confirmation unit 172 of the authority management apparatus 1 has no user authority when the expiration date set in the user authority information specified using the combination of the user ID and the service ID read from the provision availability inquiry as a key is exceeded. Judge.

  The right holder accesses the right management apparatus 1 from the right holder management terminal 2 and transmits an information provision request in which the right holder ID is set. The totalization unit 19 of the authority management device 1 is based on the user authority information specified by the right holder ID read from the information provision request and the user management information specified by the user ID set in the specified user authority information. The usage status information obtained in this way is provided to the right holder management terminal 2. The right holder management terminal 2 displays the usage status information received from the authority management device 1. The usage status information is, for example, the sales volume of each electronic book by condition and the total of the lower generation. As the conditions, service ID, service provider, user attributes (gender, age, etc.), time zone, day of the week, period, or any combination thereof are used. The conditions may be determined in advance or may be received from the right holder management terminal 2. The authority management device 1 may periodically transmit the usage status information to the right holder management terminal 2 of each right holder.

  Further, the totaling unit 19 of the authority management device 1 calculates the payment fee to each right holder based on the user authority information stored in the storage unit 12. Each service provider may pay the fee via the authority manager or directly to the right holder according to the payment fee to each right holder notified from the authority manager. Further, each service provider pays a usage fee for the authority management device 1. When there is a request for adding a function related to authority management, the right holder or service provider pays the authority manager part or all of the cost for adding the function.

  The service providing apparatus 3 may receive information that is not included in the user information notified from the user management apparatus 5 among the information about the user from the service use terminal 4 and transmit the information to the authority management apparatus 1. The authority management device 1 writes information about the user received from the service providing device 3 in the registered user information. In this case, the service providing device 3 may not receive user information from the user management device 5.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a service provider of an e-book service has provided an e-book to a user with permission by concluding a contract regarding a usage method and a usage fee with a right holder such as an author or a publisher. Therefore, even if a user purchases an electronic book through a certain service provider, the user needs to purchase again in order to receive the same electronic book service from another service provider. In addition, the service provider has reported the sales volume of the e-book that is the basis of the e-book usage fee to the right holder, but may not disclose specific information about the user who purchased the e-book. There was no way to confirm that the sales volume was correct. When the right holder tries to manage the user authority of each user, the right holder needs to develop and operate the authority database system. In addition, service providers must connect authority databases of a large number of rights holders with different specifications, which is unrealistic.

  According to the present embodiment, it becomes easy for a right holder of a service to confirm a specific state of granting user authority to a user. In addition, a service right holder can cause a plurality of service providers to use common authority information. Therefore, the user can switch the service provider when using the service. Users can have a sense of security that the service provider can be changed, the use of the service is promoted, and the entire industry can be activated.

In the above embodiment, the service is an electronic book service, the right holder is a publisher or author, and the service provider is a company that sells electronic books, provides an electronic book viewing site, or provides an electronic book viewing application. The case where the user is an electronic book reader has been described as an example, but the present invention can also be applied to other services.
For example, the service can be a rental cycle, the right holder can be a use application destination such as a local government, the service provider can be a bicycle lender, and the user can be a rental cycle application. In this case, the service using terminal 4 is a terminal used for a rental cycle application, and the service providing device 3 is a device that provides the service using terminal 4 with information necessary to make a rented bicycle available.
Further, the service can be a ski lift ticket or lunch ticket, the right holder can be a travel agency or hotel, the service provider can be a lift operator or restaurant, and the user can be a ski customer. In this case, the service use terminal 4 is a terminal used to purchase a ski lift ticket or a lunch ticket, and the service providing device 3 transmits an image that can be used as a ski lift ticket or a lunch ticket to the service use terminal 4 to the service use terminal 4. Device.
The service can be a member preferential service, the right holder can be an airline or credit card company, the service provider can be a lounge operator, and the user can be an airline or credit card member. In this case, the service use terminal 4 is a member's smartphone or mobile phone, and the service providing device 3 is a device that transmits to the service use terminal 4 information used to confirm entry into the lounge.
In addition, the service can be an electronic medical record or a prescription service, the right holder can be a chart producing hospital, the service provider can be a hospital (destination), a clinic, a pharmacy, and a user can be a patient. In this case, the service providing device 3 is a device that transmits electronic medical records and prescription data, which are electronic services provided by the right holder, to the service use terminal 4 held by the patient.

  According to the embodiment described above, the authority of a user for using a service that can be provided from a plurality of service providers can be centrally managed independently of the service provider. Therefore, a service provider different from the service provider that the user has performed a usage procedure such as purchase of the service can provide the service to the user. Further, it becomes possible for the right holder and the user to grasp the status of the procedure for using each service by a plurality of service providers in an integrated manner.

  You may make it implement | achieve the function of the authority management apparatus 1, right holder management terminal 2, the service provision apparatus 3, the service utilization terminal 4, and the user management apparatus 5 in embodiment mentioned above with a computer. In that case, a program for realizing this function may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on the recording medium may be read into a computer system and executed. Here, the “computer system” includes an OS and hardware such as peripheral devices. The “computer-readable recording medium” refers to a storage device such as a flexible medium, a magneto-optical disk, a portable medium such as a ROM and a CD-ROM, and a hard disk incorporated in a computer system. Furthermore, the “computer-readable recording medium” dynamically holds a program for a short time like a communication line when transmitting a program via a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line. In this case, a volatile memory inside a computer system serving as a server or a client in that case may be included and a program that holds a program for a certain period of time. The program may be a program for realizing a part of the functions described above, and may be a program capable of realizing the functions described above in combination with a program already recorded in a computer system.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and includes designs and the like that do not depart from the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Authority management apparatus 2 Right holder management terminal 3 Service provision apparatus 4 Service utilization terminal 5 User management apparatus 8 Network 9 Network 11 Communication part 12 Storage part 13 Processing part 14 Service management part 15 Provision permission information management part 16 User management part 17 Authority Notification unit 18 User authority management unit 19 Aggregation unit 31 Communication unit 32 Storage unit 33 Processing unit 41 Communication unit 42 Input unit 43 Processing unit 44 Output unit 161 Authentication request unit 162 User registration unit 163 Authentication unit 171 Authority inquiry reception unit 172 Authority Confirmation unit 181 User authority registration request reception unit 182 User authority registration unit 331 Provision permission information acquisition unit 332 User registration request unit 333 Authority inquiry unit 334 Usage procedure processing unit 335 User authority registration request unit 336 Service provision unit

Claims (14)

Service provision information that associates service identification information, service provider identification information, and permission status for provision of the service from the service provider is stored, and user identification information and service identification are stored. A storage unit for storing user authority information in which information is associated with a right state indicating a state of authority for the user to use the service;
Authority to receive the service provider identification information, the user identification information, and the service identification information requested by the user from a service provider device of any one of the plurality of service providers An inquiry receiver;
The service provider identification information received by the authority inquiry receiving unit, the permission state set in the provision permission information specified by the service identification information, and the user received by the authority inquiry receiving unit Determining whether or not the service provider is permitted to provide the service based on the right state set in the user authority information specified by the identification information and the service identification information, An authority confirmation unit that transmits a determination result to the service providing device;
An authority management device comprising: An authentication request unit that requests a user management device that manages users to perform user authentication based on the user identification information;
The authority confirmation unit is further configured to determine whether the service from the service provider to the user is based on whether the user authentication based on the user identification information received by the authority inquiry reception unit is successful. Determine if the offer is allowed,
The authority management apparatus according to claim 1. A user registration unit that obtains user information including information related to the attribute of the user that has been successfully authenticated by the user management device and writes the user information to the storage unit;
The authority management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: A service used when the user uses a service by associating and storing in the storage unit the communication key issued when the user authentication based on the user identification information and the user authentication is successful. An authentication unit that confirms the validity of the user based on whether the combination of the user identification information and the communication key received by the service providing device from the user terminal is stored in the storage unit;
The authority management apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 3, characterized in that: The authority confirmation unit has succeeded in the user authentication based on the user identification information received by the authority inquiry reception unit, and the user identification information and the service received by the authority inquiry reception unit. If the user authority information specified by the identification information is not stored in the storage unit, the user determines that the service cannot be used.
The authority management apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: A provision permission information management unit that writes the service identification information received from the authority management device of the authority manager, the service provider identification information, and the provision permission information associated with the permission state to the storage unit;
The authority management apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: A user authority registration request receiving unit that receives the identification information of the user and the identification information of the service to be used from the service provider device of the service provider that the user has used the service;
Identification of the user received by the user authority registration request receiving unit when the authority confirmation unit determines that the service provider who has performed the use procedure can provide the user with the service subject to the use procedure A user authority registration unit that writes, in the storage unit, user authority information that associates information, identification information of the service, and a right state indicating availability.
The authority management apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The user authority information includes user identification information, service identification information, a usage procedure destination service provider that the user has performed the usage procedure of the service, and a right indicating the status of the authority of the user to use the service. Shows the correspondence with the state,
The user authority registration request receiving unit receives the identification information of the user, the identification information of the service to be used, and the usage procedure from the service provider device of the service provider that the user has performed the usage procedure. Receiving the identification information of the service provider performed,
The user authority registration unit receives the user authority registration request receiving unit when the authority confirmation unit determines that the service provider who has performed the use procedure can provide the user with the service to be used. The user identification information and the service identification information received by the user, and the usage procedure destination service provider in which the service provider identification information received by the user authority registration request receiving unit is set, and the right state indicating availability And write the user authority information in association with the storage unit,
8. The authority management apparatus according to claim 7. The authority confirmation unit sends the authority inquiry to the use procedure destination service provider set in the user authority information specified by the user identification information and the service identification information received by the authority inquiry receiving unit. When the service provider identification information different from the service provider identification information received by the combined reception unit is set, the user determines that the service has already been used by another company,
The authority management apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: The user authority information further includes information on a use period of the service,
The authority confirmation unit is further configured based on the expiration date information set in the user authority information specified by the user identification information and the service identification information received by the authority inquiry reception unit. Determining whether a service provider is permitted to provide the service to the user;
The authority management apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein The service is an electronic book service.
The authority management apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the authority management apparatus includes: An authority management service providing system having an authority management device and a service providing device for each of a plurality of service providers,
The service providing apparatus of the service provider is:
The identification information of the user and the identification information of the service requested by the user are received from the service use terminal used when the user uses the service, and the identification information of the service provider and the received user's identification information An authority inquiry unit that transmits identification information and identification information of the service to the authority management device;
The service is provided to the service using terminal when receiving a determination result indicating that the user can be provided from the authority management device corresponding to the user identification information and the service identification information transmitted by the authority inquiry unit. A service provider,
The authority management device
Service provision information that associates service identification information, service provider identification information, and permission status for provision of the service from the service provider is stored, and user identification information and service identification are stored. A storage unit for storing user authority information in which information is associated with a right state indicating a state of authority for the user to use the service;
Authority to receive the service provider identification information, the user identification information, and the service identification information requested by the user from a service provider device of any one of the plurality of service providers An inquiry receiver;
The permission state set in the provision permission information specified by the identification information of the service and the identification information of the service provider received by the authority inquiry receiving unit, and the user received by the authority inquiry receiving unit Determining whether or not the service provider is permitted to provide the service based on the right state set in the user authority information specified by the identification information and the service identification information, An authority confirmation unit that transmits a determination result to the service providing device;
An authority management service providing system characterized by that. An authority management method executed by an authority management apparatus,
The authority management device stores provisioning permission information in which service identification information, service provider identification information, and a permission state for provision of the service from the service provider are associated with each other, and user identification information A storage unit that stores user authority information in which identification information of the service is associated with a right state indicating a state of authority of the user to use the service;
The authority inquiry receiving unit of the authority management apparatus receives the service provider identification information, the user identification information, and the user from a service provider apparatus of any one of a plurality of service providers. An authority inquiry reception step for receiving identification information of the requested service;
The permission confirmation unit of the authority management device has the permission state set in the provision permission information specified by the service provider identification information and the service identification information received in the authority inquiry reception step, and Based on the user identification information received in the authority inquiry reception step and the right state set in the user authority information specified by the service identification information, the service provider to the user An authority confirmation step of determining whether or not provision is permitted and transmitting the determination result to the service providing device;
An authority management method characterized by comprising: An authority management service providing method executed by an authority management service providing system having an authority management apparatus and a service providing apparatus for each of a plurality of service providers,
The authority management device stores provisioning permission information in which service identification information, service provider identification information, and a permission state for provision of the service from the service provider are associated with each other, and user identification information A storage unit that stores user authority information in which identification information of the service is associated with a right state indicating a state of authority of the user to use the service;
The authority inquiry unit of the service providing apparatus receives the user identification information and the service identification information requested by the user from a service use terminal used when the user uses the service, and provides the service. An authority inquiry step of transmitting the identification information of the person, the received identification information of the user and the identification information of the service to the authority management device;
The authority inquiry receiving unit of the authority management apparatus receives from the service providing apparatus an authority inquiry for receiving the service provider identification information, the user identification information, and the service identification information requested by the user. A reception step;
The permission confirmation unit of the authority management device has the permission state set in the provision permission information specified by the service provider identification information and the service identification information received in the authority inquiry reception step, and Based on the user identification information received in the authority inquiry reception step and the right state set in the user authority information specified by the service identification information, the service provider to the user An authority confirmation step of determining whether or not provision is permitted and transmitting the determination result to the service providing device;
A service providing step of providing the service to the service using terminal when the service providing unit of the service providing apparatus indicates that the determination result received from the authority management apparatus can be provided;
A right management service providing method characterized by comprising:

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