JP2003271876A - Certification device, method for charging for use of on- line application program using the device, use charging program, and recording medium with the program recorded thereon - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To construct a mechanism making use of completely distributed on-line application program onerous. <P>SOLUTION: When a title deeds issuing part 12 receives a request for issuing title deeds from one of terminal devices, the same issues electronic title deeds with certifying that a user of a terminal has paid necessary use charge beforehand and is a registered member by referring a member database 14. A communication permission part 13 retains the title deeds and permits communication with another terminal device having same on-line application program loaded. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an authentication device, an online application program usage charge method using the same, a usage charge program, and a recording medium having the program recorded therein.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Since a multiplayer application program using the Internet such as an online battle game communicates via a center server, it is common to charge a fee for the use of server equipment.
According to this mechanism, currently, the service user needs a server usage fee of about 1,000 yen per month. Therefore,
In order to enjoy multiple online games, it is necessary to have a contract with each service provider, and
The server facility usage fee for that purpose will also increase.

On the other hand, for an application program that operates in a stand-alone manner, for example, the center issues an electronic "right of ownership" for a fee, such as shareware,
The method was adopted in which the application only works if there is a title.

[0004]

By the way, since a completely distributed application program that does not require a center does not always use the center server equipment,
It is inappropriate to collect a usage fee for the use of the application program as a consideration for using the server equipment. Therefore, there is no mechanism to charge when operating as a multi-player online application without going through a server, such as online battle games, and it is left open, and proper rights protection is provided by copyrights and contracts. The reality is that they didn't.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and by constructing a mechanism for making a fee for using a service for a completely distributed online application program using the Internet such as an online battle game. To provide an authentication device, a usage fee charging method for an online application program using the device, a usage fee charging program, and a recording medium recording the program, which allows only a legitimate user who paid the usage fee to use the authentication device. With the goal.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is an authentication device which is connected to at least one terminal device in which an online application program is mounted via a communication network. When a right certificate issuance request is received from one of the terminal devices, the user of the terminal device pays the necessary usage fee in advance and certifies that the user is registered and issues an electronic right certificate. And a communication permission unit that holds the license and permits communication with another terminal device in which the same online application program is installed.

Further, in the present invention, the license issuance means receives a license issuance request reception request from the terminal device, which is issued at the time of the first communication, each time of communication, or periodically. Means, are provided.

Further, in the present invention, the communication permitting means is provided with an expiration date managing means for managing the title having an expiration date and permitting communication only within the expiration date.

Further, in the present invention, the communication permission unit manages a user's attribute information, an attribute information of an online application program to be used, or both, and the attribute of the user is the online attribute. It is characterized by comprising an attribute management means for permitting communication only when the attribute matches the attribute requested by the application program.

According to the present invention, when the deed of issuer receives a deed of issuance from one of the terminal devices, the user of the terminal device pays the necessary usage fee in advance, and membership registration is performed. The electronic certificate is issued and the communication permission means holds the certificate and permits communication with another terminal device in which the same online application program is installed. This makes it possible to construct a mechanism for paying for the use of fully distributed online application programs that use the Internet, such as online battle games, and only use them by legitimate users who have paid the usage fee. An authorized authentication device can be provided.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides
Online application program implemented 1
The above-mentioned terminal device is a method of using and charging an online application program using an authentication device connected via a communication network, wherein the authentication device receives a license issue request from one of the terminal devices. In addition, the user of the terminal device has paid the necessary usage fee in advance, authenticates that the user has been registered, issues an electronic deed, holds the deed, and holds the same online application program. Is permitted to communicate with another terminal device that implements.

In the present invention, the terminal device is
It is characterized by requesting exchange of a license with a terminal device as a communication partner and rejecting communication if at least a part of the license held by the partner is found to be fraudulent.

Further, in the present invention, when the injustice is recognized, a warning is issued to the terminal device of the other party and the authentication device is notified via a communication network.

According to the present invention, the use of the online application program can be permitted only while the user is paying the use fee, and the use fee can be continuously collected. In addition, by incorporating a common program that authenticates terminal devices and issues electronic rights certificates into all online application programs,
The configuration of the authentication device does not depend on the online application program. For example, even if the terminal device is remodeled and the right certificate is illegally interpreted, mutual authentication is performed as long as the terminal device as a communication partner is normal, so that the security is high.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides
Online application program implemented 1
The above-mentioned terminal device is a usage accounting program for an online application used for an authentication device connected via a communication network, and when a certificate issuance request is received from one of the terminal devices, the terminal device The user pays the necessary usage fee in advance, issues a digital certificate by certifying that he / she has registered as a member, and holds the certificate and implements the same online application program. And permitting the communication with the terminal device.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides
Online application program implemented 1
The above terminal device is a recording medium in which a usage accounting program for an online application used in an authentication device connected via a communication network is recorded, and when a right issuance request is received from one of the terminal devices. , The step of issuing a digital certificate by certifying that the user of the terminal device has paid the necessary usage fee in advance and registered as a member, and the same online application holding the certificate. It is characterized in that a usage accounting program for an online application that causes a computer to execute a step of permitting communication with another terminal device in which the program is installed is recorded.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a diagram cited for explaining a business model for realizing a usage accounting method for an online application program using an authentication device of the present invention and a relationship between its usage subjects. Here, a battle-type game software using the Internet as an online application program will be cited and described. In FIG. 1, 1 is an authentication center including an aggregator that provides a place to execute a game on the Internet (hereinafter, collectively referred to as authentication center 1), 2 and 3 are consumers A, B, and 4 are game makers. is there.

In the present invention, a database (member D) of members and their availability information is available on the Internet.
The authentication center 1 having B) is constructed, and this authentication center 1 manages whether or not the usage fee is paid as a consideration for the member's use of the online application program. Issue. As shown in FIG. 2 showing the configuration of the communication infrastructure used by the present invention, the authentication center 1 and the consumers A (2), B (3) are the authentication server 10, the personal computer (PC), the mobile phone terminal, or the like. Terminal device 20,
It is assumed that each of the
otocol) network 40.

Description will be returned to FIG. The authentication center 1 cooperates with the authentication center 1 to manage the presence / absence of usage fee payment by the member, and prompts the game maker 4 to issue an electronic “certificate of rights” accordingly. The communication middleware that controls communication based on "(a) is provided. Then, the online game software developed by the game maker 4 is prompted to incorporate the communication middleware provided previously. The game maker 4 incorporates the communication middleware into the developed online game software and sells it to the consumers A (2) and B (3). Next, the consumers A (2) and B (3) are required to use the purchased online game software.
A predetermined usage fee of, for example, several hundred yen per month is paid to the authentication center 1 to register as a member (c).

Then, for example, when finding an opponent using chat or the like and actually executing the online game software, an authentication request is issued to the authentication center 1 and "right" is issued according to the usage fee payment status. A certificate is received (d, e). Next, the consumers A (2) and B (3), who are opponents, negotiate by communication (f), exchange the "rights" held by each other, and perform mutual authentication (g). After confirming that there is no injustice, it is separated from the authentication center 1 and the online game software, here, the battle game using the Internet is executed (h).

Although the authentication center 1 and the aggregator are collectively described here for convenience of description, usually, the provider often provides a game battleground on the Internet. Therefore, in that case, there is an IS between the consumers A (2), B (3) and the authentication center 1.
P (Information Service Provider, Internet Serv)
The service usage fee paid by each of the consumers A and B is appropriately divided between the authentication center 1 and the aggregator.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functional expansion of the internal structure of the authentication server of FIG. 2 in which the authentication device of the present invention is installed. Specifically, each block shown below is C
Consists of a peripheral LSI including PU and memory, CP
It is assumed that the function that the block has is realized by U reading and executing the program recorded in the memory. The authentication device of the present invention includes a communication interface unit 11
And a certificate issuing unit 12, a communication permission unit 13, and a member database (DB) 14. Since the authentication server 10 is connected to the IP network 40 here, the communication interface unit 11 uses TCP / IP (Transport Control Pr
otocol / Internet Protocol) shall be implemented.

The license issuing unit 12 includes terminal devices 20, 30.
Member D when receiving a right issuance request from one of the
By referring to B14, the user of the terminal device 20, 30 pays the necessary usage fee in advance,
Electronic "rights" certifying that you are a registered member
Which has a function of issuing
And a license issue execution unit 122. The license issuance request receiving unit 121 has a function of receiving a license issuance request issued from the terminal devices 20 and 30 at the time of the first communication, each time of communication, or periodically, and the license issuance executing unit 122. Has a function of issuing a digital certificate of rights by certifying that the user has paid the necessary usage fee in advance and is registered as a member. Member DB1
4 stores member registration information and information about availability of the online application program based on the usage fee payment status.

The communication permission unit 12 holds a "certificate of rights",
It has a function of permitting communication with another terminal device in which the same online application program is installed, and is composed of an expiration date management unit 131 and an attribute management unit 132. The expiration date management unit 131 has a function of managing a “right of ownership” having an expiration date and permitting communication only within the expiration date. The attribute management unit 132 uses the attribute information of the user or the online application to be used. Program attribute information,
Alternatively, it has a function of managing a “right of ownership” having both of them and permitting communication only when the user's attribute matches the attribute requested by the online application program.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are flowcharts quoted to explain the operation of the embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the usage accounting program of the present invention and the communication middleware installed in the terminal device together with the online application program. The respective processing procedures are shown. Less than,
The operation of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3 will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

By the way, according to the present invention, as described above, the authentication center 1 having the member DB 14 which records the members and the availability of the members is provided on the Internet (IP network 40), and the communication middleware such as a battle game using the Internet is provided. The terminal devices 20 and 30 mounted (installed) with an online application program including the above access the authentication server 10 each time communication is performed or periodically. The main feature of the authentication server 10 is that it issues an electronic "right of use" in accordance with the usage fee payment status of the member. Here, the terminal device 20 interprets the “right of ownership” by the communication middleware, communicates with other terminal devices 30 according to the content of the right, and is a completely decentralized online system that does not require a center server. It provides a mechanism for charging for the operation of the application program for communication.

Specifically, an authentication center 1 having members and their availability information on the Internet is constructed, and this authentication center 1 manages whether or not the members pay the usage fee and electronically responds accordingly. Issue a certificate of right. That is, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4, the authentication server 10 receives a right-of-issue certificate request via communication middleware installed in the terminal device 20 each time communication is performed or periodically (S401). As a result, the authentication server 10 refers to the member DB 14, checks whether or not membership registration and usage fee payment for the online application program to be used have been made, and authenticates the user as a valid member. (S4
02). The receipt of the above-mentioned right issuance request is performed by the right issuance request receiving unit 121 of the right issuance unit 12, and the membership registration and usage fee payment are checked by the right issuance executing unit 1.
22 does.

Here, when it is authenticated that the member is a legitimate member, the deed of issuer 122 issues a "deed of right" and sends it to the terminal device 20 which made the request (S40).
3). Further, the communication middleware installed in the terminal device 20 has a function of interpreting the issued “right of ownership”,
According to the result, communication can be performed with another terminal device 30 having the same middleware. "Right of ownership"
For example, information such as the expiration date, the attribute of the owner (age, gender, ...), the target type of the right, and the grade is recorded. In the communication permission unit 13, the expiration date management unit 131 determines the expiration date ( Then, the communication is permitted only within the period (S404) (S406). In addition, the attribute management unit 132 manages a “right of use” having attribute information of the user, attribute information of the online application program to be used, or both, and checks the attribute (S40).
By doing so, it is possible to permit or deny the communication by performing the parental control such as adult designation, which is required by the user attribute in the online application program (S406).

As shown in the processing procedure of the communication middleware in FIG. 5, the communication middleware installed together with the online application program in the terminal devices 20 and 30 receives the “right” from the authentication server 10 to communicate with each other. After performing the negotiation of (S501,
(S502), the information of the "right of right" can be exchanged (S503). The communication middleware performs mutual authentication (S504), and if the "right of ownership" held by the communication middleware installed in the terminal device 30 of the other party is found to be invalid, the communication can be refused. This is done even if the other party's communication middleware determines that the "right of ownership" is correct.

As a result of the mutual authentication, when the mutual authentication is found to be legitimate, the authentication server 10 is disconnected, and execution of the online application program installed between the terminal devices 20 and 30 is started (S505). Here, when the communication middleware of one of the terminal devices 20 (30) recognizes that the “right” held by the communication middleware installed in the other terminal device 30 is invalid, a warning display,
Take appropriate measures such as reporting to the authentication server 10 (S50
6). Communication between communication middleware other than communication with the authentication server 10 is performed by a LAN (Local Area Network).
k), a serial interface such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) or the like, but any connecting means may be used.

The communication interface unit 1 shown in FIG.
1, the procedure executed by each of the rights issue unit 12, the communication permission unit 13, the rights issue request reception unit 121, the rights issue execution unit 122, the expiration date management unit 131, and the attribute management unit 132 can be read by a computer. It is assumed that the authentication device of the present invention is realized by recording in a recording medium, reading the program recorded in the recording medium into a computer system, and executing the program. The computer system mentioned here includes an OS and hardware such as peripheral devices.

Furthermore, "computer system" is a WW
If the W system is used, the homepage providing environment (or display environment) is also included. Further, "computer-readable recording medium" means RO
In addition to M, flexible disk, magneto-optical disk, C
A portable medium such as a D-ROM or a storage device such as a hard disk built in a computer system. Further, the "computer-readable recording medium" means a volatile memory (RAM) inside a computer system which is a system or a client when a program is transmitted via a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line. In addition, those that hold the program for a certain period of time are also included.

Further, the above program may be transmitted from a computer system that stores the program in a storage device or the like to another computer system via a transmission medium or by a transmission wave in the transmission medium. Here, the "transmission medium" for transmitting the program refers to a medium having a function of transmitting information, such as a network (communication network) such as the Internet or a communication line (communication line) such as a telephone line. Further, the program may be a program for realizing some of the functions described above. further,
It may be a so-called difference file (difference program) that can realize the above-mentioned functions in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and includes a design etc. within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention. Be done.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to construct a mechanism for paying the use of a completely distributed online application program such as a battle online game using the Internet. It is possible to provide an authentication device that allows only a legitimate user who has paid the usage fee to use the usage fee and continuously collects the usage fee. In addition, the online communication application can be developed easily by incorporating the same communication middleware in any online application programs, not limited to the online games, and the configuration of the authentication center depends on the online application programs. It can be realized in a form that does not. Furthermore, even if the terminal device that executes the online application program is modified and the "right of ownership" is incorrectly interpreted, mutual authentication is performed as long as the terminal device that is the communication partner is normal. Therefore, it is highly safe.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram cited for explaining a business model that realizes a usage charging method of an online application program using an authentication device of the present invention, and a relationship between users of the business model.

FIG. 2 is a diagram cited for explaining a configuration of a communication infrastructure used by the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing functional development of the internal configuration of the authentication server of FIG. 2 in which the authentication device of the present invention is installed.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart cited to explain the operation of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart cited to explain the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Authentication center, 2 (3) ... Consumer, 4 ... Game maker, 10 ... Authentication server, 11 ... Communication interface part, 12 ... Title issue part, 13 ... Communication permission part, 14 ...
Member DB, 20 (30) ... Terminal device, 40 ... IP network, 1
21 ... Right certificate issuance request receiving unit, 122 ... Right certificate issuing execution unit, 131 ... Expiration date management unit, 132 ... Attribute management unit

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. The at least one terminal device in which the online application program is installed is an authentication device connected via a communication network, and when a right issuance request is received from one of the terminal devices, A user who uses the terminal device pays the necessary usage fee in advance and issues a digital certificate by certifying that he / she is registered as a member. An authentication device, comprising: a communication permission unit that permits communication with another terminal device in which an application program is installed. 2. The license issuance means includes a license issuance request reception means for receiving a license issuance request issued from the terminal device at the first communication, each time communication is made, or periodically. The authentication device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The expiration date managing means for managing the title having an expiration date and permitting communication only within the expiration date, the communication permitting means comprising: Authentication device. 4. The communication permitting means manages a title having attribute information of the user, attribute information of the online application program to be used, or both, and the attribute of the user is requested by the online application program. The authentication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an attribute management unit that permits communication only when the attribute matches the specified attribute. 5. A usage accounting method for an online application program using an authentication device connected via a communication network to at least one terminal device having an online application program installed, wherein the authentication device is the terminal. When a right certificate issuance request is received from one of the devices, the user of the terminal device pays the necessary usage fee in advance and authenticates that membership registration has been performed and issues an electronic right certificate. Then, the online application program use charging method using an authentication device, characterized in that the above-mentioned certificate is held and communication with another terminal device in which the same online application program is installed is permitted. 6. The terminal device requests exchange of a right certificate with a terminal device as a communication partner, and refuses communication when at least a part of the right certificate held by the other party is fraudulent. An online application program usage charge method using the authentication device according to claim 5. 7. The authentication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein when the dishonesty is recognized, a warning is issued to the terminal device of the other party and the authentication device is notified via a communication network. How to charge for using online application programs. 8. The one or more terminal devices on which the online application program is installed is a usage accounting program for an online application used for an authentication device connected via a communication network, and the right from one of the terminal devices is used. When a certificate issuance request is received, the user of the terminal device pays the necessary usage fee in advance, and the electronic certificate is issued by certifying that the user is registered as a member. An online application use charging program that causes a computer to execute a step of holding a certificate and permitting communication with another terminal device that implements the same online application program. 9. The one or more terminal devices in which the online application program is installed is a recording medium in which a usage accounting program for an online application used for an authentication device connected via a communication network is recorded. When a request for issuance of a license is received from one of the above, the user of the terminal device pays the necessary usage fee in advance and authenticates that the member has been registered and issues an electronic license. A recording medium recording an online application usage charge program for causing a computer to execute the steps, and the step of permitting communication with another terminal device having the same online application program, which holds the rights certificate.