JP2004005584A - Content distribution system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate the acquisition of contents for which personal authentication is carried out. <P>SOLUTION: On the basis of a content acquisition request from a personal computer 7, an address of a chargeable site is transmitted to the personal computer 7 from a mail distribution server 15. When registration is carried out by making an access to the address of the chargeable site from a cellular phone 11 and inputting an ID number and a password, and a contract for use of contents on the chargeable site is made, a program for personal authentication matching the ID number and the password is formed according to the registration. The formed personal authentication program is downloaded by means of the cellular phone 11, and a content server 5 allows the acquisition of the contents by the personal computer 7 if the personal authentication is carried out. In a charging server 17, a charge found by subtracting a commission for personal authentication and the like from a content information fee is summed up on the basis of the content acquisition by the personal computer 7. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a content distribution system that performs content distribution.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a conventional system of this type, for example, there is a system as described in JP-A-2002-109395. In this conventional system, payment is performed by using a prepaid card for content distribution. In addition, settlement using a credit card is also employed.
[0003]
Therefore, the content distributor can collect the content distribution fee by the payment using a prepaid card, a credit card, or the like.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, a prepaid card needs to be purchased anew when the fixed amount is used up, and there is a limit to smoothly acquiring contents.
[0005]
On the other hand, if the credit card is registered using the card number, the subsequent payment is automatically performed without any hassle. On the other hand, if the card number is sent via the Internet or the like due to registration at the time of content acquisition, a security problem may occur. Another problem is that content cannot be obtained unless a credit card is possessed.
[0006]
For this reason, conventionally, requests for acquiring content such as characters, music, and movies have not been sufficiently made, and improvements have been desired.
[0007]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a content distribution system capable of performing personal authentication without using a prepaid card, a credit card, or the like, and making it possible to sufficiently obtain and use contents.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a content distribution unit capable of storing content and distributing the content through a network connection, a content acquisition unit capable of acquiring the content from the content distribution unit through a network connection, and registering by inputting personal information. A mobile communication network provided with a pay site capable of creating data for personal authentication, a mobile communication terminal having an address and connectable to the network via the mobile communication network, and an address of the pay site And a charging unit for counting charges based on the acquisition of the content by the content acquisition unit, and from the mail distribution unit to the content acquisition unit based on the content acquisition request of the content acquisition unit. Transmitting the address of the pay site, and When accessing the address of the pay site and registering by inputting the personal information and performing a content use contract on the pay site, the personal authentication data corresponding to the personal information is created based on the registration, The mobile communication terminal acquires the created personal authentication data, and the content distribution unit enables the content acquisition unit to acquire the content when the personal authentication is performed. I do.
[0009]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the content distribution system according to the first aspect, the totalization of the fees is performed for the data creation fee for the personal authentication or a fee considering the fee.
[0010]
The invention according to claim 3 is the content distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the personal authentication data is a personal authentication program created in accordance with personal information, and the mobile communication terminal Is capable of outputting a signal corresponding to personal information by the personal authentication program, and the content obtaining means includes a reading means capable of reading the signal.
[0011]
【The invention's effect】
According to the invention of claim 1, the address of the pay site can be transmitted from the mail distribution unit to the content acquisition unit based on the content acquisition request of the content acquisition unit. The mobile communication terminal accesses the address of the pay site, registers by inputting the personal information, makes a content use contract on the pay site, and performs the personal authentication according to the personal information based on the registration. Is created.
[0012]
The mobile communication terminal acquires the created personal authentication data, and the content distribution unit can enable the content acquisition unit to acquire the content when the personal authentication is performed.
[0013]
In the charging unit, the fee can be totaled based on the acquisition of the content by the content acquisition unit.
[0014]
Therefore, the content usage contract on the pay site and the aggregation of the fee based on the content acquisition after the personal authentication allow the user to be smoothly charged for the content acquisition based on the personal authentication, and the content acquisition and use are sufficiently performed. Can be made.
[0015]
In addition, since the personal authentication can be performed using the personal authentication data using the mobile communication terminal, there is no need to bother with the purchase of a prepaid card and it is not necessary to transmit a credit card number. Security can be sufficiently secured.
[0016]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the present invention, the totalization of the fee is performed on the data creation fee for the personal authentication or a fee in consideration of the fee. This can be easily performed by using the mobile communication terminal without using the terminal, and the use of the content can be promoted.
[0017]
In the invention of claim 3, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 1 or 2, the personal authentication data is a personal authentication program created in accordance with personal information, and the mobile communication terminal A signal corresponding to personal information can be output by the personal authentication program, and the content acquisition unit includes a reading unit capable of reading the signal. A signal corresponding to personal information can be output. The reading means of the content obtaining means can input a signal corresponding to the personal information and read the signal. Therefore, the content can be easily obtained by using the program for personal authentication.
[0018]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a content distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a content distribution system 1 includes a content server 5 of a content provider 3 as content distribution means, a desktop personal computer (PC) 7 of a user 6 as content acquisition means, and a mobile communication network. A mobile phone network 9, a mobile phone 11 of the user 6 as a mobile communication terminal, a mail delivery server 15 of a billing system company 13 as a mail delivery means, and a billing server 17 of the billing system company 13 as a billing means. .
[0019]
The content distribution server 5 stores the content and can distribute the content through a network connection. The network is, for example, the Internet 19. Various digital contents such as characters, music, and movies can be adopted and distributed as the contents. The content provider 3 is also connected to the charging system company 13 by, for example, a dedicated line. Although the content provider 3 is singly illustrated in the figure, in practice, various content providers are juxtaposed and applied. However, any one or an arbitrary combination of these can be applied.
[0020]
The personal computer 7 can acquire contents from the contents server 5 by connecting to the Internet 19. This personal computer 7 is provided with an optical reader 21 in the present embodiment. The optical reader 21 is provided with a warning lamp 23. The lamp 23 blinks when an error occurs in the personal authentication and displays the error.
[0021]
As the mobile phone network 9, an i-mode of Docomo, an EZ (EZ) of AU, a J-Sky of J-Phone, and the like are applied. Although these mobile telephone networks 9 are illustrated as a single unit in the figure, in reality, i-mode, EZ, J-Sky, etc. are all provided side by side in accordance with various types of mobile telephones. However, any one or an arbitrary combination of these can be applied.
[0022]
The i-mode and the like include a pay site. In this pay site, the individual is registered by inputting, for example, an ID number and a password as personal information, and data 25 for personal authentication can be created. The personal authentication data 25 is, for example, a Java (registered trademark) application program in the present embodiment, and is configured to create a personal authentication program including authentication data by inputting an ID number and a password. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the user accesses the Java (registered trademark) application site from the pay site and downloads the personal authentication program.
[0023]
The mobile phone 11 has an e-mail address as an address and can be connected to the Internet 19 via the mobile phone network 9. The mobile phone 11 includes a browser that can execute the Java (registered trademark) application program by downloading. The mobile phone 11 can output a signal corresponding to the personal information by the personal authentication program. The signal corresponding to the personal information is at least one or a combination of light, sound, and vibration.
[0024]
In the present embodiment, the signal is light, and the mobile phone 11 is provided with an optical oscillating unit 27. However, without providing the mobile phone 11 with the special light oscillating unit 27, a configuration may be adopted in which a light signal is generated by on / off control of a backlight provided in the mobile phone 11 or inversion of a screen monochrome. Further, when the signal is a sound, the sound of a speaker that emits a ringtone of the mobile phone 11 is controlled, and when the signal is a vibration, the vibration of the vibrator for the same manner is controlled. You can also.
[0025]
By using light, sound, and vibration that can be output from the mobile phone 11 for an incoming call or the like as a signal for personal authentication, there is no need to provide a special output unit for personal authentication, and a general mobile phone can be used. It can be used as it is, and the structure can be simplified.
[0026]
The optical reader 21 constitutes reading means which can read the signal by inputting the signal. Therefore, the personal computer 7 as the content acquisition unit has a configuration including the reading unit. The optical reader 21 has a configuration in which the light oscillation unit 27 side of the mobile phone 11 is inserted in the present embodiment. With this insertion, an optical signal emitted from the optical oscillation unit 27 is received by a photodiode described later.
[0027]
Instead of the optical reader 21, when the signal is sound, a sound signal emitted from the mobile phone 11 is received by a microphone, and when the signal is vibration, the vibration emitted by the mobile phone 11 is received by a pressure sensor. When the signal is a combination of light, sound, and vibration, the signal is received by a combination of a photodiode, a microphone, and a pressure sensor. The authentication code displayed on the mobile phone 11 can be directly input by operating the keyboard of the personal computer 7 based on a personal authentication program including the authentication data.
[0028]
The mail distribution server 15 stores the address of the pay site and can be connected to the Internet 19 via a network. The billing server 17 is configured to total charges based on the acquisition of contents by the personal computer 7. The details of the charge will be described later. The billing system company 13 includes a web server 29, an authentication server 31, an ARS server 33, and the like, in addition to the mail distribution server 15, the billing server 17, and the like.
[0029]
The Web server 29 enables the operation of the accounting system company 13 on the Internet 19. The authentication server 31 performs personal authentication according to a signal read by the optical reader 21 or an authentication code input by the personal computer 7. The ARS server 33 performs collide recognition.
[0030]
The optical reader 21 is provided with a photodiode 35 as shown in FIG. The output signal of the photodiode 35 is input to the MPU 41 of the personal computer 7 via the amplifier circuit 37 and the waveform shaping circuit 39.
[0031]
FIG. 3 shows a data string for personal authentication. That is, light emitted as a serial pulse train corresponding to, for example, “54356” as authentication information by a program for personal authentication is input to the photodiode 35, and is amplified by the amplifying circuit 37, the waveform shaping circuit 39, and the MPU 41 as shown in FIG. It is output as a column.
[0032]
With the above configuration, the charging system company 13 registers with the management company of the mobile phone network 9 to charge the user 6 by using the content. In this registration, for example, a fixed monthly fee for using the content by the user 6 is registered for each content provider 3. The fixed monthly fee can be uniform or different for each content provider 3. Further, it is also possible to set a pay-as-you-go fee according to each content use time.
[0033]
When the user 6 connects to the Internet 19 via the personal computer 7 and makes a content acquisition request to the content server 5, a selection display of a content use system is performed on the personal computer 7. When the user 6 selects the content distribution system of the present embodiment in response to this display, an instruction to input the e-mail address of the mobile phone 11 is made on the personal computer 7. When an e-mail address is input on the personal computer 7 in response to this instruction, information is transmitted from the content provider 3 to the accounting system company 13, and the e-mail distribution server 15 changes the e-mail address of the pay site of the mobile phone network 9 to e. Sent by email.
[0034]
The user 6 opens the pay site address transmitted to the personal computer 7 and accesses the pay site address using the mobile phone 11. In this pay site, registration is performed by inputting personal information such as an ID number and a password using the mobile phone 11, and a content use contract is made on the pay site. According to the content use contract, a program for personal authentication including authentication data is created according to the ID number and password of the pay site. The registered personal information is also transmitted to the authentication server 31 of the charging system company 13.
[0035]
Next, the user 6 obtains the personal authentication program created by the mobile phone 11 by downloading. The mobile phone 11 is inserted into the optical reader 21 and an optical signal emitted from the optical oscillator 27 is read. The optical signal is received by the photodiode 35 as shown in FIG. 2, and the personal computer 7 outputs data string information for personal authentication. If the optical reader 21 is not provided, the authentication code displayed on the mobile phone 11 is directly input by operating the keyboard of the personal computer 7.
[0036]
The signals read from the personal computer 7 or the input data are sent to the authentication server 31 via the Web server 29 of the accounting system company 13. The authentication server 31 performs personal authentication using the registered personal information. As a result of the personal authentication, if the authentication is performed, the authentication result is sent from the charging system company 13 to the content provider 3, and the charging server 17 totals the charges.
[0037]
Aggregation of the charges in the charging server 17 corresponds to charging for the user 6 by using the content in the pay site. For example, in the pay site, a fixed monthly fee is determined for each content provider 3, and the management company of the mobile phone network 9 charges the user 6 who is a content user of the pay site. The charging server 17 obtains a communication carrier from, for example, the management company of the mobile phone network 9 and adds a fee of several percent of the management company of the mobile phone network 9 to the billing fee to the user 6 and a charging system company 13. The fee is calculated by subtracting a few percent of the commission fee. The fee of several percent in the billing system company 13 is a program creation fee for personal authentication, which is caused by downloading the personal authentication program by the mobile phone 11 and performing the personal authentication. That is, the billing server 17 totals the charges in consideration of the program creation fee for personal authentication. However, when the personal authentication program is downloaded by the mobile phone 11, the total can be directly counted as a fee regardless of the personal authentication result.
[0038]
The content provider 3 distributes the content from the content server 5 to the personal computer 7 based on the authentication result from the charging system company 13. Thus, the user 6 can acquire and use the content with the personal computer 7.
[0039]
When personal authentication is not performed by the authentication server 31, the personal computer 7 inputs the authentication result, the lamp 23 of the optical reader 21 flashes, and notifies the user 6 that the authentication has not been performed.
[0040]
The fixed monthly fee at the pay site is charged to the user 6 collectively by the management company of the mobile telephone network 9 together with the charge of the telephone charge.
[0041]
The management company of the mobile phone network 9 pays the billing system company 13 by subtracting a fee of several percent from the charged amount. This payment is made, for example, every month, and such a contract is made in advance between the management company of the mobile phone network 9 and the charging system company 13. The contract content includes, for example, registration of a monthly fee for the content distributed by the content provider 3 and confirmation of the payment. In the billing system company 13, the amount of the billing server 17 is an amount obtained by subtracting a few percent of the fee of the management company of the mobile phone network 9 and a few percent of the fee of the billing system company 13 itself. Payment is made to the content provider 3. This payment is made, for example, every month, similarly to the payment to the charging system company 13, and such a contract is made between the charging system company 13 and the content provider 13 in advance. The contract content includes, for example, agreement on a monthly fee for the content distributed by the content provider 3 and confirmation of the payment.
[0042]
4 to 6 show flowcharts according to one embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart relating to user registration, FIG. 5 is a flowchart relating to a digital content acquisition procedure, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart from billing by use of a pay site to payment to a content provider.
[0043]
First, at the time of user registration, processing of “Internet access to CP by PC” is executed in step S1 of FIG. In this step S1, the user 6 accesses the personal computer 7 to the Internet 19. As a result of this access, the process proceeds to step S2, in which the user 6 makes a request for acquisition of digital content using the personal computer 7.
[0044]
In step S3, a process of “inputting a mobile mail address” is executed. In step S3, the content provider 3 instructs the personal computer 7 to input an e-mail address of the mobile phone 11 in response to the digital content acquisition request, and the user 6 inputs the e-mail address using the personal computer 7.
[0045]
In step S4, the process of “registered site address transmission” is executed. In step S4, the information is transmitted from the content provider 3 to the billing system company 13 by the input of the e-mail address, and the mail distribution server 15 transmits the address of the pay site of the mobile phone network 9. By this transmission, the address of the pay site is displayed on the personal computer 7.
[0046]
In step S5, a process of “accessing and registering to a registered site address” is executed. In this step S5, the user 6 looks at the address of the pay site displayed on the personal computer 7, communicates with the mobile phone network 9 using the mobile phone 11, and accesses the address of the pay site. With this access, registration is performed by inputting personal information such as an ID number and a password. By this registration, a program including the authentication data for personal authentication is created at the pay site as described above.
[0047]
In step S6, a process of "completion of monthly billing contract" is executed. When the registration is performed in step S5, the content use contract on the pay site is completed by the processing in step S6. Completion of the content usage contract at the pay site enables the management company of the mobile telephone network 9 to charge the user 6 as a content user a fixed monthly fee together with a telephone fee.
[0048]
Next, in step S7, a process of “downloading an application including authentication data from a digital content site” is executed. In this step S7, the user 6 operates the mobile phone 11 to download the personal authentication data 25 created at the pay site. Thus, after the personal authentication program is downloaded to the mobile phone 11, the digital content acquisition procedure can be continued as shown in the flowchart of FIG.
[0049]
First, in step S8 in FIG. 5, a process of “starting a mobile phone program” is executed. By this processing, an optical signal as authentication information is emitted from the light oscillation section 27, or an authentication code is displayed on the mobile phone 11.
[0050]
In step S9, a process of "inputting authentication data to a PC or reading authentication information by an optical reader" is executed. As a result, an optical signal as authentication information emitted from the light oscillating unit 27 is read by the photodiode 35 of the optical reader 21, or the user 6 operates the personal computer 7 and displays the authentication code displayed on the mobile phone 11. Enter
[0051]
In step S10, the process of "transfer to authentication server" is executed. With this processing, a data string for personal authentication is input from the personal computer 7 to the authentication server 31 via the Web server 29 of the charging system company 13.
[0052]
In step S11, a process of "whether or not authenticated" is performed in the authentication server 31. If personal authentication has been performed in the authentication server 31 (YES), the process proceeds to step S12, and the process of “digital content transmission” is performed. By this processing, the information of the authentication result is transmitted from the accounting system company 13 to the content provider 3, and the digital content is distributed from the content server 5 to the personal computer 7. On the personal computer 7, the distributed digital content can be obtained.
[0053]
When the information on the authentication result is transmitted from the charging system company 13 to the content provider 3, a process of "charging server charging" is executed in step S13. As a result, the billing server 17 adds a few percent of the fee of the management company of the mobile phone network 9 and a few percent of the fee of the billing system company 13 to the billing fee to the user 6 based on the use of the content on the pay site. Total of the charge which deducted and is performed.
[0054]
If the authentication has not been performed in step S11 (NO), the process proceeds to step S14, and the process of “outputting an NG signal” is performed. By this processing, an NG signal is transmitted from the authentication server 31 to the personal computer 7 via the Web server 29.
[0055]
Next, by the process of “NG display on PC or NG lamp blinking of optical reader” in step S15, NG display is performed on the display of personal computer 7 or lamp 23 of optical reader 21 blinks, and personal authentication is performed for the user. Let them know you didn't.
[0056]
As a result of the totalization of the charges, the flow of billing and payment is as shown in FIG. As for the fixed monthly fee at the pay site, the management company of the mobile phone network 9 charges the user 6 as a pay site information fee as in step S16. As described above, this bill is billed together with the telephone charge of the mobile phone at a fixed monthly fee.
[0057]
Next, as in step S17, a fee of several percent is subtracted from the paid site information fee, and payment is made to the billing system company 13. In step S18, the billing system company 13 pays the content provider 3 after deducting a fee of several percent of itself. In other words, the management company of the mobile phone network 9 pays a fee for using the paid site by the content provider 3, the charging system company 13 pays a proxy fee for personal authentication, and the content provider 3 pays the amount obtained by subtracting the fee from the content information fee. You can receive.
[0058]
As described above, in the content distribution system of the present embodiment, the content usage contract by the user 6 at the pay site and the totaling of the fee at the charging server 17 allow the user 6 to be smoothly charged by acquiring the content including the personal authentication. Thus, it is possible to sufficiently obtain and use the content.
[0059]
Further, since the personal authentication can be performed by the personal authentication program using the mobile phone 11, there is no need to bother with the purchase of a prepaid card, and there is no need to transmit a credit card number and security can be secured. Can also be sufficiently secured.
[0060]
The mobile phone 11 can easily acquire contents by using a personal authentication program.
[0061]
Using the personal authentication program, a signal of at least one or a combination of light, sound, and vibration corresponding to personal information is output by the mobile phone 11, and the signal of at least one or a combination of the light, sound, and vibration is output. By reading the content, the content can be easily obtained.
[0062]
The management company of the mobile phone network 9 charges the user 6 for the fee for using the content on the pay site as described above, and deducts a fee of several% of the management company of the mobile phone network 9 from the fee as described above. It is also possible to directly deduct the deduction to the content provider 13. In this case, the billing system company 13 directly totals the fee of several percent as described above, and, based on the totaling result, charges the total of the fee to the content provider 3 every month, for example. Will be paid to the billing system company 13.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a content distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a signal reading process according to one embodiment.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a data output signal according to the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of user registration according to an embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a content acquisition procedure according to one embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart from billing by use of a pay site to payment to a content provider according to an embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Content distribution system
5 Content server (content distribution means)
7 Personal computer (content acquisition means)
9 Mobile phone network (mobile communication network)
11 Mobile phone (mobile communication terminal)
15 Mail distribution server (mail distribution means)
17 Charging server (charging means)

Claims (3)

Content distribution means for storing the content and distributing the content through a network connection;
Content acquisition means capable of acquiring content from the content distribution means through a network connection,
A mobile communication network with a paid site that can register and create data for personal authentication by entering personal information,
A mobile communication terminal having an address and connectable to the network via the mobile communication network;
E-mail distribution means for distributing the address of the pay site;
Charging means for counting charges based on the acquisition of the content by the content acquisition means,
Transmitting the address of the pay site from the mail distribution unit to the content acquisition unit based on the content acquisition request of the content acquisition unit,
When the mobile communication terminal accesses the address of the pay site and registers by inputting the personal information and makes a contract to use the content of the pay site, the personal authentication corresponding to the personal information is performed based on the registration. Data is created,
Acquiring the created personal authentication data by the mobile communication terminal,
The content distribution system, wherein the content distribution unit enables content acquisition by the content acquisition unit when the personal authentication is performed. The content distribution system according to claim 1, wherein
The content distribution system is characterized in that the totaling of the fees is performed for the data creation fee for personal authentication or a fee considering the fee. The content distribution system according to claim 1 or 2,
The personal authentication data is a personal authentication program created according to personal information,
The mobile communication terminal can output a signal corresponding to personal information by the personal authentication program,
A content distribution system, wherein the content acquisition unit includes a reading unit that can read the signal.

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