JP3564435B2 - Access guidance device and method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a technique for providing information such as appropriate content according to a user.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the field of networks such as the Internet, a domain name system (hereinafter, referred to as a "content server") is used to associate a name of a device (hereinafter, referred to as "content server") with an IP (Internet Protocol) address representing the address. , "DNS").
In the DNS, a device that stores a domain name and an IP address in association with each other (hereinafter, referred to as a “DNS server”) is provided between a terminal used by a user and a content server.
In the DNS, first, a user uses a terminal to input a name of a content server holding desired content and the like and a domain name including the name, and request access. The DNS server returns the IP address of the content server holding the content from the domain name to the user terminal. Based on the IP address, the user terminal can access the content server indicated by the IP address and access desired information.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The above-mentioned conventional DNS server only holds one IP address corresponding to a predetermined content server name. Therefore, even if it is desired to provide content or the like in which the content or the providing form is different according to the attribute of the user (for example, whether the user is important to the content provider or the like), the IP address accessed according to the user. Could not be changed.
[0004] On the other hand, in order to solve this, it is conceivable to provide a load distribution device outside the content server or to allow the content server to assign access destinations according to the attributes of the user. However, since these processes continue to be concentrated on the content server and the load distribution device, system expandability is required, such as the use of a high-performance device as the content server and the need to provide a plurality of load distribution devices. There were also problems such as obstruction.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a mechanism that allows a user to easily access appropriate information.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, in an access guidance device according to a first aspect of the present invention, addresses of a plurality of function implementers each having a function of providing information to an accessing user are grouped and recorded, The storage means in which each address is associated with identification information of a user who permits access to the function realization specified by the address, and the storage means which is triggered by an access accompanied with identification information of a group and a user. Control means for performing path control of the access based on the record information, wherein the control means specifies a group and a user from the received identification information, and an address associated with the user in the group. And directing the access to the specified address.
[0007]
In the access guidance device according to the second aspect of the present invention, addresses of a plurality of function realization bodies each having a function of providing information to the accessing user are recorded, and each address is specified by the address. A storage unit associated with identification information of a user who permits access to the function realization unit, and control for performing a path control of the access based on the record information of the storage unit when the access accompanied by the identification information of the user is triggered Means, and wherein the control means is configured to identify a user from the received identification information and to specify an address associated with the user and to lead the access to the specified address. Features.
[0008]
The information provision by at least some of the function implementers is performed to the authenticated user, and the identification information of the user is associated with the authentication information used for the authentication. Further comprising an authentication unit for authenticating whether or not the user who has accessed with a valid user based on the authentication information, wherein the control unit specifies the access when the user is authenticated. You may comprise so that it may lead to an address.
In addition, the identification information of each user is given a predetermined weight, and the same address may be associated with the identification information having the same weight.
[0009]
In the access guidance method according to the first aspect of the present invention, addresses of a plurality of function implementing bodies each having a function of providing information to a user who has accessed the information are grouped and recorded, and each address is assigned to the address. An access inducing method for inducing an access from a user based on information in a storage unit in which identification information of a user who is permitted to access the function realization specified by the information is stored in association with each other, wherein identification of a group and a user is performed. In response to the access accompanied by the information, based on the record information of the storage unit, a process of specifying a group and a user from the received identification information, and specifying an address associated with the user in the group. Leading the access to the specified address.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the access guidance device of the present invention is applied to DNS will be described.
The access guidance device of the present invention is embodied as a DNS server 1 shown in FIG. The DNS server 1 is connectable to a terminal 2 operated by a user and a content server 3 for providing content via the Internet 4 which is a network.
[0011]
The terminal 2 is, for example, a personal computer or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance) having a function of performing communication through the Internet 4. The terminal 2 transmits information such as user identification information, authentication information, and an access request to a predetermined domain name.
The content server 3 is a function implementing body having a function of providing predetermined information to a user who has accessed the content server 3, and can be composed of, for example, various Web servers existing on the Internet 4. Access to each content server 3 is made possible by specifying an IP address. Each content server 3 holds content and other information, and provides corresponding information to the user in response to a request from the user.
[0012]
The DNS server 1 of the present embodiment has a function of performing communication through the Internet 4 and is realized by cooperation between a computer and a computer having an external memory such as a hard disk drive and an internal memory such as a RAM and a ROM. You. In the present embodiment, a computer reads and executes the above-described program to form a functional block illustrated in FIG.
That is, the DNS server 1 is realized by a set of functional blocks of the user information storage unit 10, the access information storage unit 11, the reception unit 12, the authentication unit 13, the address identification unit 14, and the transmission unit 15.
[0013]
The user information storage unit 10 records and manages user identification information and user authentication information in a predetermined area of the external memory. FIG. 3 shows a specific example of such information to be recorded. As shown in FIG. 3, the user information storage unit 10 manages a user ID and a user name as identification information and a password as authentication information of the user in a linked manner.
Since the authentication information may be any information that can authenticate the user, an electronic signature or the like can be used instead of or together with the password. In this case, information such as an encryption key unique to the user is managed for each user.
[0014]
The access information storage unit 11 is a memory that stores a content server name, a user name, and an IP address in association with each other.
FIG. 4 shows an example of the data structure of the access information storage unit 11.
As shown in FIG. 4, in the access information storage unit 11, the IP addresses of the content servers 3 that provide information to the accessing user are grouped under the name “content server name” and recorded. A user name as identification information of a user who is permitted to access the content server 3 specified by the IP address is stored in association with the IP address.
[0015]
The receiving unit 12 has a function of receiving information and the like transmitted from the terminal 2.
The receiving unit 12 receives, for example, a packet transmitted from the terminal 2, assembles the received packet, analyzes the content, and accesses user identification information, authentication information, and predetermined content included in the packet. The request may be received.
[0016]
The authentication unit 13 has a function of authenticating whether a user who has accessed the DNS server 1 is a legitimate user. The authentication unit 13 has a function of performing user authentication by determining whether or not the user ID and password transmitted from the user match those stored in the user information storage unit 10, for example.
[0017]
The address specifying unit 14 has a function of referring to the access information storage unit 11 and performing a path control of the access when the access accompanied by the content server name and the identification information of the user is triggered.
Specifically, the address specifying unit 14 specifies the content server name from the received domain name, specifies the IP address associated with the user from the user name, and specifies the IP address associated with the user. The entered IP address is answered. Thus, the user is guided to the content server 3 indicated by the IP address.
[0018]
The transmitting unit 15 has a function of transmitting predetermined information to the terminal 2 or the like.
The transmitting unit 15 may have a function of packetizing information such as an IP address acquired by the address specifying unit 14 and transmitting the packet to the terminal 2 of the user.
[0019]
Next, the operation of the DNS server 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
First, the user uses the terminal 2 to input a domain name including a content server name, the user ID, and a password, and requests access to the content server 3 holding desired content and the like.
The receiving unit 12 receives a user ID, a password, and a domain name for which access is requested from the terminal 2 (S1). In this reception, for example, when data is received in a packet format, a user ID, a password, a domain name, and the like are obtained by assembling and analyzing the received packet.
The authentication section 13 determines whether or not the received user ID and password match those pieces of information stored in the user information storage section 10 (S2).
If the result of the determination is that they do not match, the authentication unit 13 sends a message to that effect to the terminal 2 and ends the process.
If the user is a legitimate user, the address specifying unit 14 specifies the content server name from the domain name transmitted from the user (S3). Then, the address specifying unit 14 refers to the access information storage unit 11 to specify an IP address associated with the user among IP addresses belonging to the content server name (S4).
[0021]
The address specifying unit 14 creates a reply message to the user from the specified IP address (S5). The address specifying unit 14 controls the transmitting unit 15 to transmit the IP address to the terminal 2 used by the user and reply (S6), and perform processing by allowing the user to access the IP address. finish.
[0022]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the access information in which the IP addresses of the content servers 3 grouped by the content server name and the identification information of the user who is permitted to access the IP address are stored in association with each other. By referring to the information storage unit 11, a user who has accessed the address specifying unit 14 can be led to an IP address corresponding to the user.
Thereby, the user's access can be guided to the content server 3 that can provide appropriate information without the user's awareness. For example, if information customized for each user is prepared on the content server 3 side, information and services with high added value can be provided to the user.
[0023]
Further, since the DNS server 1 guides the user's access to an appropriate IP address, the load on the content server 1 is distributed, and the load on the content server 3 can be reduced. Thereby, for example, even if the system has a large number of users, it is possible to provide a system with excellent expandability.
[0024]
In addition, since the DNS server 1 authenticates the user, only the legitimate user can access the content server 3, and the load of performing the user authentication on the content server 3 side can be reduced.
[0025]
In the above embodiment, an example is described in which the content server 3 that accesses according to the IP address is different, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, one content server 3 may have a plurality of IP addresses, and the content server may have a processing unit as a function implementing unit for providing each piece of information corresponding to each IP address. In this case, the processing unit can be realized by a computer program and a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes the computer program.
[0026]
Further, a predetermined weight may be given to the user, and an access from the user with the same weight may be led to the same IP address.
In this case, for example, the user weight storage type information is stored in the user information storage unit 10 for each piece of user identification information. Further, instead of the user name in the access information storage unit 11, user type information indicating the weight of the user is stored.
In this state, the address specifying unit 14 refers to the user information storage unit 10 to determine the user type set for the accessing user, and refers to the access information storage unit 11 to determine the user having the same type information. May be answered with the same IP address.
Accordingly, it is possible to access information having appropriate contents according to the weighting level of the user.
The type information may be determined based on, for example, how important the customer is to the operating entity of the content server 3.
[0027]
In the embodiments described so far, the present invention is applied to the DNS, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to other distributed database systems.
[0028]
The DNS server 1 of the present embodiment can be realized using a general-purpose computer and a computer program without using a dedicated device. For example, the above-described processing is executed by installing a computer program for executing the above-described operation on a general-purpose computer or a computer program from a computer-readable medium (FD, CD-ROM, or the like) storing the computer program. You may do so. When the above functions are shared by an OS (Operating System) or realized jointly by the OS and an application program, only the part other than the OS is stored as a computer program, and the computer program is stored in a computer-readable medium. May be.
[0029]
It is also possible to superimpose a computer program for the DNS server 1 on a carrier wave and distribute it via a communication network. For example, the program may be posted on a bulletin board (BBS) of a communication network and distributed via the network. Then, the above-described processing may be executed by activating this computer program and executing it in the same manner as other application programs under the control of the OS.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, a user can easily access appropriate information.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a DNS according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a DNS server according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of a user information storage unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a view showing an example of a data structure of an access information storage unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of processing of the DNS server according to the embodiment of the present invention;
[Explanation of symbols]
Description of Reference Numerals 1 DNS server 2 Terminal 3 Content server 10 User information storage unit 11 Access information storage unit 12 Reception unit 13 Authentication unit 14 Address identification unit

Claims (5)

The addresses of a plurality of function implements having a function of providing information to the accessing user are grouped and recorded, and each address is assigned to a user who permits access to the function implement specified by the address. Storage means associated with the identification information;
Control means for performing a path control of the access based on the record information of the storage means at the time of the access accompanied by the identification information of the group and the user,
The above control means,
A group and a user are identified from the received identification information, and an address associated with the user is identified in the group and the access is led to the identified address.
An access guidance device characterized by the above-mentioned. The information provision by at least some of the function implementers is performed to the authenticated user, and the identification information of the user is associated with the authentication information used for the authentication. Further comprising an authentication means for authenticating based on the authentication information whether or not the user who has accessed with is a valid user,
2. The access guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to guide the access to the specified address when the user is authenticated as a valid user. The identification information of each user is given a predetermined weight,
The same address is associated with the same weighted identification information.
The access guidance device according to claim 1. The addresses of a plurality of function implements each having a function of providing information to the accessing user are recorded, and each address contains identification information of a user who permits access to the function implement specified by the address. Storage means associated therewith;
Control means for performing a path control of the access based on the record information of the storage means at the time of the access accompanied by the identification information of the user,
The above control means,
While identifying the user from the received identification information, it is configured to identify the address associated with the user and guide the access to the identified address,
An access guidance device characterized by the above-mentioned. The addresses of a plurality of functional entities having a function of providing information to the accessing user are grouped and recorded, and each address is a user who permits access to the functional entity specified by the address. An access guidance method for guiding an access from a user based on information in a storage unit in which identification information of the storage means is stored in association with the identification information,
A process of identifying a group and a user from the received identification information based on the record information of the storage unit, triggered by an access accompanied by the identification information of the group and the user;
A process of identifying an address associated with the user in the group and leading the access to the identified address;
An access guidance method, comprising:

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