JP5160075B2 - Distributed service system with vending terminals - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a computer system using a vending terminal such as a kiosk terminal or a vending machine, and in particular, using the hardware resources of an unspecified number of vending terminals connected via a network. The present invention relates to a technique for reducing a processing load and enabling a large-volume data service in each vending terminal.

  As a system for providing digital music, video, game software, and other content to a user using a computer network, the content designated by the operation of the user terminal is stored in the storage unit of the user terminal. Systems that are downloaded and provided via the Internet are known. In such a content providing system, for example, a database storing various content groups is provided on the data center side, and a data center including a web server and a user terminal (a personal computer, a mobile phone, a set top box, etc.) are provided. Connected via the Internet, for example, by downloading the content data selected by the user on the web screen for content selection from the data center to the storage unit of the user terminal to provide the content Yes.

  By the way, in recent years, information processing terminals called kiosk terminals or multimedia terminals have been installed in stores such as convenience stores, stations, hospitals, and the like. For example, in a store or a station, a user operates a multimedia terminal having a touch panel to search for information on sightseeing guides and traffic guides, make reservations for hotels and tickets, or digitally based on digital image data. It is possible to print. In a hospital, a user can operate a terminal to accept a medical examination and pay a medical examination fee. Also, a device having a function of writing a song on a customer's MD (mini disc) on the terminal side or a function of downloading a ringtone to a mobile mobile terminal is known (for example, [Prior Art ]reference).

JP 2002-156981 A

  In the content providing system that provides the user with the content designated from the user terminal such as a personal computer for a fee or free of charge, as described above, the content is stored from the data center having the content group database in the storage unit of the user terminal. It is in the form of downloading to. However, in such a form, when the amount of data increases, the load on the data center or the backbone communication line of the data center increases, and it is necessary to take measures such as adding a computer on the data center side to distribute the load. Therefore, there is a problem that high maintenance costs are required.

  On the other hand, the system described in Patent Document 1 describes that a database storing MD data is provided in a recording medium (recording medium using a magnetic disk) of a kiosk terminal, and music data is downloaded to the MD. In the kiosk terminal having such a configuration, since the service using the music data can be provided offline without connecting to the data center side, the load on the data center side is reduced, but the kiosk terminal side There may be a problem of hardware resources, particularly a problem of the capacity of the recording medium. For example, in addition to music, if content such as video or other large data content or a large number of content groups are to be provided, the types of content that can be handled due to the capacity of the recording medium and the data processing capability of the terminal And the amount of data will be limited. The same applies to a system that performs a huge amount of information search and information providing service, not limited to selling paid content.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to distribute the processing load on the data center side and to provide a vast number of individual vending terminals. It is to provide a distributed service system using vending terminals that can provide various services using a large amount of data and a large amount of data.

The present invention relates to a distributed service system using vending terminals, and the object of the present invention is to enable vending terminals installed in stores, stations, and the like and the vending terminals to communicate with each other. A distributed type having a terminal server connected via a communication network, and distributing data processing and communication load related to various services using digitized content using each hardware resource of the vending terminal group A service system, wherein the terminal server automatically divides a content group to be provided into a plurality of content groups and distributes the content groups to a storage area of each storage device of the vending terminal group for download And a container belonging to the content group stored in the storage device of the vending terminal. The data sharing remote control means for sharing the content group to be provided to be available to each vending terminal by data transmission control, and after the download of the content group, the vending terminals are linked to each other. Dynamic load distribution control means for executing load distribution processing in a timely manner according to the processing load of the service, and further, the dynamic load distribution control means is a free storage area in the entire vending terminal group When it is determined that the capacity is insufficient, a deletion command for deleting the predetermined content is transmitted to some vending terminals to delete the data of the contents, so that the free space in the storage area of the entire vending terminal group There line control to increase, and the dynamic load sharing control unit is set to number of sales or the access count of each content in the vending terminal group For content that has been determined that the number of sales or the number of accesses is large, the duplicate content of the content is transferred from the vending terminal that owns the content to one or more vending terminals that do not This is achieved by performing control to automatically increase the vending terminals holding the content .

In addition, the object of the present invention is that when the dynamic load distribution control means deletes the data of the content by the deletion command, the content exists in any other vending terminal and has a large data capacity. Targeting content or content with a small number of sales , the dynamic load distribution control means is based on the movement of content between the vending terminals stored in the storage device of the vending terminal or the transfer of duplicate content By optimizing the storage location and the source terminal of the content group by executing redistribution processing of the content group to be provided in a timely manner, the dynamic load balancing control means includes the service of the content including the line speed Executing the distributed processing of the load based on the information indicating the processing capability according to the terminal server, And further comprising terminal-side load monitoring means for automatically analyzing the usage status of each content in the vending terminal group and monitoring the load on the vending terminal side, wherein the dynamic load balancing control means This is achieved more effectively by executing the redistribution processing of the content group to be provided in a timely manner according to the usage status of each content analyzed by the load monitoring means.

Further, the object of the present invention is that the vending terminal group includes operation information transmitting means for transmitting operation information indicating the content usage status of its own terminal to the terminal server, and the terminal-side load monitoring means includes , by performing the analysis of each vending the usage and timely receive the operation information from the terminal, prior SL terminal server, a purchase request of the data area for the user from the user terminal or the vending terminal A data area providing means for accepting and providing a storage area of the vending terminal as a data area for the user, wherein the data area providing means stores content owned by the user in a storage unit of the user terminal; Alternatively, upload from the recording medium loaded in the vending terminal and download the content to the data area To have the capability to register as a paid content sale Te, each of which is more effectively achieved by.

  Furthermore, the object of the present invention is that the vending terminal group includes at least one of a kiosk terminal, vending machine, ticket vending machine, arcade game machine, vending machine for financial institutions, arcade game machine, and multimedia terminal. A service provided by the distributed service system, comprising: an information processing terminal group including any one; the vending terminal group including an information processing terminal installed in a moving body such as an airplane, a ship, or a vehicle; Includes a service using each stored data of the vending terminal group in addition to the service using the content, the terminal server has a charging unit for paying content on a pay-per-use basis, a line failure and a terminal An abnormality detecting means for detecting an abnormality including a side failure, wherein the billing means detects the abnormality during the paid content providing service. It shall be charged based on the measured rate of measurement information up to that point, each of which is more effectively achieved by.

  According to the present invention, the content group to be provided is distributed and stored in the storage area of each storage device of the vending terminal group, and the data of the content group can be shared and used. For this reason, it is possible to provide a vast number of types and contents of contents in each vending terminal. In addition, the load distribution on the data center side can be performed on the vending terminal side without adding a computer on the data center side. Therefore, the increase in the data center load accompanying the increase in data volume can be reduced and the data center added. It is possible to prevent the increase in maintenance costs associated with.

  Furthermore, it is possible to dynamically distribute the data processing load and the communication load by providing means for executing the content group redistribution processing in a timely manner according to the usage status of each content in the vending terminal group. In addition, by providing a storage area of the vending terminal as a data area for the user and registering content owned by the user as content in the data area, the user can store content owned by the user. It becomes possible to sell.

  The distributed service system according to the present invention uses hardware resources of an unspecified number of communication terminal groups (data processing devices having a communication function accommodated in an arbitrary housing) installed in various places. Thus, distributed processing of data processing load and communication load related to various services using digitized content is executed. For example, by using communication terminals such as vending machines, ticket vending machines, and multimedia terminals installed in various places, and communication terminals installed on mobile bodies such as vehicles, content is stored in the storage area of each communication terminal. Download (initial load) the group. Then, the distributed content group is shared by each communication terminal and can be used mutually.

  After that, each communication terminal group functions as a distributed processing server (content server or database server) for the service, and the terminals store the contents in a timely manner in cooperation with each other via the network to store the content. And optimization of the supplier terminal are automatically executed. For example, in such a distributed service system, content group redistribution processing (optimal data) is based on monitoring information such as usage status of each communication terminal, data processing load, line speed and communication load at that time, and terminal configuration information. Placement processing) is executed in a timely manner, and load distribution of data processing and communication processing related to various services is attempted. At that time, if the load is concentrated on a certain service, the data is copied to another source terminal and each terminal provides the service in parallel, or if the source terminal is heavily loaded, Execute load distribution processing and failure distribution processing in cooperation with each terminal, such as providing the service via a small terminal or switching the source terminal to provide the service when an abnormality such as a terminal failure is detected .

  The service received by the user is provided via each communication terminal or a specific server. The service provided is not limited to the original service of the kiosk terminal and multimedia terminal shown in the background art, but is an arbitrary service using the function and content data of the terminal. Services can also be provided. For example, if the terminal is an automatic transaction machine such as a vending machine, in addition to the automatic transaction function, a service that uses the automatic transaction machine's unique function and content, and a unique service that uses the content (use of content) Download services to terminals and recording media, display services for advertisement information, etc.), services using sales data of each automatic transaction machine (services such as inventory management, sales management, and sales deadline management), via a web server It is possible to provide a specific service or a new service (a popular product guidance service, a mutual backup service in the event of a failure, etc.) that links automatic transaction machines.

  Software (application program and control data) on the vending machine side for providing these services is mounted on a data processing apparatus on the vending machine side or a data processing apparatus accommodated in the vending machine as a separate unit. Alternatively, the vending machine may be operated as one of the database servers using only the storage area of each vending machine. These are not limited to vending machines, but can be applied to other types of devices. Different types of terminals are linked to perform data distribution and load distribution, as well as various functions and various types of terminals of the same or different types. It is possible to provide an unprecedented service using content groups.

  In this way, in this system, while utilizing the hardware resources of the information processing terminal group connected via the network and performing optimization processing in cooperation with each terminal, the capacity of the recording medium and the data of the terminal Various services using various content groups can be provided without processing performance becoming a bottleneck. It is also possible to provide various services such as new services that combine the functions of each terminal and new services that use data (sensor detection data and operation data) and content groups unique to each terminal. It becomes possible.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of the overall configuration of a distributed service system according to the present invention. The distributed service system shown in FIG. 1 is installed at a predetermined location such as a store or a station, and has an information processing terminal 3 (hereinafter referred to as a “vending terminal”) having a function of a content automatic sales service, an Internet, and the like. In addition to managing a communication network 4 such as a mobile phone communication network, a content processing source system FEP 5 which is a data processing device (front-end processor in this example), and various content groups handled by the vending terminal 3 And a terminal server 6 that controls data sharing processing and distributed processing described later.

  The vending terminal 3 is an information processing terminal operated by an unspecified number of users such as a kiosk terminal, a multimedia terminal, a vending machine, a ticket vending machine installed in a store, a station, a street corner, etc. Via the terminal server 5. Each vending terminal 3 constituting the communication terminal group includes a database 3a having a content group to be sold, sales of various paid contents such as digitized music, video, game software, and free contents. A function for providing services such as browsing of information, reservation of various tickets, purchase of information including an electronic key, and use of information including an electronic key.

  Hereinafter, a case where a “kiosk terminal” is used as the vending terminal 3 will be described as an example, but the processing of the vending terminal 3 and the terminal server 6 according to the present invention is the same when other information processing terminals are used. is there.

  With the configuration as described above, an outline of a distributed service system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  A group of contents (data of various contents) that is a source of various services is supplied from the supply source FEP5. The content group to be supplied is not downloaded to the storage unit (storage area of a storage device such as a hard disk) of each kiosk terminal 3 but to a predetermined number of content groups in which different contents are combined. What is automatically divided is distributed and downloaded to the storage unit of each kiosk terminal 3. For example, the contents a1 to ai for the kiosk terminal 1-1, the contents b1 to bj for the kiosk terminal 1-2 and the kiosk terminal 1-3, and the contents a1, c1 to ck for the kiosk terminal 1-4 (i , J, and k are integers of 2 or more), different types of content groups or content groups including the same content are downloaded to the storage unit of the kiosk terminal 3 together with list information such as titles specifying each content to be provided. The It should be noted that two or more content groups including the same content are downloaded to two or more kiosk terminals, or the same content group is downloaded to two or more kiosk terminals. It is possible to avoid the service stop of the content due to the withdrawal. Such distributed download processing may be executed by the supply source FEP 5, but the case where it is executed by the terminal server 5 will be described below as an example.

  The content group downloaded to the storage unit of the kiosk terminal 1 is registered in the database 3a. The database 3a of each kiosk terminal 1 is a shared database that can be used by terminals via the terminal server 5, and each kiosk terminal 1 can use all contents. The content or information registered in the database 3a (information obtained by processing the content) is encrypted and can be used by using the electronic key notified from the terminal server 5.

  In the distributed service system according to the present invention, the content group downloaded to the storage unit of the kiosk terminal 1 is not stored in the database 3a in a fixed manner, but according to the frequency of use of the content, etc. Automatic distribution processing of content groups such as adding content stored in its own database 3a to the database 3a of another kiosk terminal 1 or deleting content and replacing it with content of another kiosk terminal 1 I am trying to execute it.

  As a form in which the user purchases content, for example, as a first form, the store user 1a loads a kiosk terminal 3 with a recording medium (MD or memory card) owned by the user or connects a mobile phone, The content user 1b who desires to purchase content is a user terminal 2 (STB 2a: set top box) as a second mode in which the content selected on the screen showing the list is written on the recording medium and purchased. , PDA2b: Personal Digital Assistants, mobile phone 2c, PC2d: user end terminal such as personal computer, etc.) and download to the storage unit (recording medium) of user terminal 2 for purchase. At that time, for example, the terminal server 5 that has accepted the purchase request uploads the content from the storage device of the kiosk terminal 3 having the content and downloads the content to the storage unit of the user terminal 2. Alternatively, in a form in which the terminal server 5 includes a content database described later, the content stored in the content database is downloaded to the storage unit of the user terminal 2.

  In addition, there is a form in which the user purchases the data area of the kiosk terminal 3, and the purchaser (archive user) 1c of the data area registers his / her content in the purchased data area and sells it in the same manner as other contents. Is possible. In that case, manual examination such as copyright is involved.

  Next, the configuration of the kiosk terminal 3 will be described.

  FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of the kiosk terminal. The kiosk terminal 3 in this example includes a database 3a having a content group to be sold, a control unit 31 including a CPU, a multimedia service processing unit 32 for providing various services, and content in its own terminal Operation information transmission unit 33 for transmitting operation information indicating the usage status of the network to an external computer (terminal server 6 in this example), a communication control unit 34 for controlling data communication via communication network 4, and a multimedia service A peripheral device 35 is provided.

  As the peripheral device 35 for multimedia service, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a touch panel display 351 as operation means and display means, a disk-type recording medium (MD, DVD, CD, magneto-optical disk, etc.) and a card Writing content data to a storage unit of a cellular phone connected via an electronic recording medium drive 352 and a cellular phone connector 35b for writing content data to a loading unit 35a of a type recording medium (memory card or the like) Mobile phone drive 353 to be performed, scanner 354 for capturing image data from a paper medium, CCD camera 355 as means for capturing a user image, electrophotographic printer 356 for printing image data at high resolution, sound circuit, speaker, etc. Voice output device 357 composed of And a cash handling apparatus 358 for performing the calculation process.

  Note that peripheral devices other than the touch panel display 351 are additional components, and a kiosk terminal 3 that does not include these peripheral devices is also applicable to this system.

  In the distributed service system according to the present invention, the hardware resources of an unspecified number of vending terminals 3 capable of communicating for 24 hours, such as the kiosk terminal 3 installed in a store or the like, are used, and a huge amount of content group data is obtained. As described above, a mode in which the data of the content group distributed in the storage area of each kiosk terminal is shared by each kiosk terminal 3 by being distributed and downloaded from the terminal server 6 to the storage area of the storage device of each kiosk terminal. It is said. That is, if the content specified by the user exists in the own database 3a, the content read from the database 3a is used. If the content specified by the user does not exist in the own database 3a, the database of another kiosk terminal 3 via the terminal server 6 is used. The copy data of the content is acquired from the content, and services such as sales are executed using the content. The duplicate data is temporarily stored in a memory or the like and deleted at the end of the service, and is preferably not added to the database 3a of its own kiosk terminal 3.

  Further, in the distributed service system according to the present invention, the usage status of content (for example, the number of sales of each content, the number of accesses, the amount of data processing, etc.) at each kiosk terminal 3 is analyzed, and content with high usage frequency is analyzed. The copy data of the content is copied and transmitted to the other kiosk terminal 3 via the communication network 4 and added to the database 3a of the kiosk terminal 3 for registration. At that time, for example, content with a low usage frequency may be moved from the kiosk terminal 3 with a large amount of data processing to the kiosk terminal 3 with a small amount of data processing.

  In this way, by utilizing the hardware resources of an unspecified number of kiosk terminals 3 and performing load sharing and data sharing in which the terminals are linked together, a huge group of content types and data amounts can be obtained at each kiosk terminal. Can be provided. Further, load distribution on the data center side can be performed on the terminal side without adding a computer on the data center side such as the supply source FEP 5 and the terminal server 6.

  The load distribution and data sharing as described above are performed under the control of the terminal server 6 in the present embodiment.

  FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a main part of the terminal server 6. The terminal link operation control unit 62 and the content update processing unit 63 shown in FIG. 4 are realized by a computer program controlled by the control unit 61 (CPU) and stored in a predetermined recording medium. Then, it operates as a memory resident program or an overlay program at the time of execution. Each means 62a-62d and each part 61-65 are classified by function with a means name etc. for convenience of explanation, and do not limit the software configuration.

  4, the terminal server 6 includes, as main components, a control unit 61 including a CPU, a terminal linkage operation control unit 62 that controls operations related to load distribution and data sharing in which terminals are linked, and a supply source. A content update processing unit 63 that manages information such as an electronic key and the content group supplied from the FEP via the communication network, and updates the database on the vending terminal (in this example, the kiosk terminal), Kiosk terminal configuration information (number of kiosk terminals, terminal unique ID for identifying each kiosk terminal, information on storage device capacity, peripheral device configuration, etc.), list information for identifying each content, electronic key for each content A system information storage unit 64 that stores system information such as a communication control unit 6 that controls data communication via the communication network 4 When, and a content database 6a for storing data of the content group that has been received from the supplier FEP5. It should be noted that after downloading to the kiosk terminal side, content group data is not required, and therefore the content database 6a may not be provided.

  Based on the configuration information of each kiosk terminal and the like, the terminal link operation control unit 62 combines a plurality of content groups (a group of data necessary for various services including paid sales symmetric content) with different contents. A content group distributed download means 62a that automatically divides data into content groups and distributes and downloads data of each content group to a storage area of a storage device included in each kiosk terminal, and a database 3a of each kiosk terminal for each kiosk terminal Data sharing remote control means 62b for performing sharing control between the kiosk terminals and operation information indicating the usage status of the contents at the kiosk terminals are received from each kiosk terminal in a timely manner, and the content usage frequency (number of sales of each content, number of accesses, Terminal load monitoring that automatically analyzes data processing volume, etc.) In step 62c, the frequency of use of content at each kiosk terminal, information indicating the capability of hardware resources related to the use of content (for example, information on the line speed, the capacity of the recording medium, the access speed of the recording medium, the CPU capability, etc.), etc. Dynamic load distribution control means 62d for controlling the automatic content distribution processing according to the content.

  In addition, the terminal server 6 has a data area providing means for providing the user with the data area of the kiosk terminal (storage area of the storage device) as the data area for the user. In the data area providing means, for example, a purchase request for the data area of the kiosk terminal is received from the user terminal or the kiosk terminal, and the data area of the recording medium of the kiosk terminal is associated with the user ID and secured. The data area providing means uploads content owned by the user (archive user) from a storage medium of the user terminal or a recording medium loaded in the kiosk terminal, and downloads the content to the data area. It has a function of registering in the shared database 3a as paid content to be sold. By registering this content as a paid content to be sold, it can be sold at a kiosk terminal like other paid content. Further, by registering information owned by the archive user as information including an electronic key, it is possible to provide a sales service and a browsing service for the information.

  In the data sharing remote control means 62b of the terminal linkage operation control unit 62, for example, a content acquisition request is received from the kiosk terminal 3 that does not exist in the database 3a of the kiosk terminal 3, and the content indicating which terminal holds which content. With reference to the information, the content is received from the kiosk terminal 3 having the content, and data necessary for a service using the content (for example, a sales service) is transmitted to the requesting kiosk terminal 3. By such processing, the database 3a of each kiosk terminal is shared so that it can be used by each kiosk terminal. In other words, in the data sharing remote control means 62b, all content groups distributed in the storage area of the storage device of each kiosk terminal are shared by each vending terminal by transfer control of the content stored in the database 3a of each kiosk terminal. Turn into.

  Further, in the dynamic load distribution control means 62d, for example, based on the analysis result of the terminal-side load monitoring means 62c, the contents of each kiosk terminal are transferred by executing the process of moving the contents between the kiosk terminals and transferring the duplicate data. Redistribute content stored in a distributed manner in a timely manner. At that time, in addition to considering the current free storage capacity of the kiosk terminal, for example, considering popular content, for example, the same content may be transferred to a plurality of kiosk terminals according to the number of sales. good. Further, for example, content that has not been accessed for a predetermined period of time can be remotely operated (automatically operated) on the database on the kiosk terminal side to delete the content from the database of all kiosk terminals, or a kiosk having the content except for a specific kiosk terminal. It may be deleted from the terminal database. Furthermore, as a monitoring element of the load on the kiosk terminal side, in addition to storage capacity and content access frequency, it monitors the capacity of hardware resources related to content services such as line speed, access speed of recording media, CPU capacity, In combination with monitoring elements such as the above access frequency, it is detected whether the load is concentrated, and distributed processing is performed by transferring replicated data to other terminals and moving data to other terminals. It is preferable to adopt a form that dynamically and automatically disperses.

  In the case of a service for downloading a data stream such as a television broadcast, a movie, a song, or a game to the user terminal 2, upon receiving a download request from the user terminal 2, the dynamic load distribution control unit 62d Based on the analysis result of the side load monitoring means 62c and the like, a terminal with a low load is selected from a group of supply terminals such as a kiosk terminal having the content, and a data stream is transmitted from the terminal to the user terminal 2. At that time, for example, in the case of content that does not need to be broadcast in real time, data is divided by dividing one data set into a plurality of packet groups and transmitting each divided packet group simultaneously from a plurality of source terminals. Processing load and backbone communication line load may be distributed. At that time, when an abnormality such as a line failure or a terminal failure on the supply source terminal side is detected, for example, from the database of other supply source terminals having the same content at the time of the abnormality detection until recovery is detected. The divided packet group that has not been transmitted may be read out and continuously transmitted to the user terminal 2.

  Note that content that is expected to be popular at the start of sales is initially loaded into the storage device of a specific kiosk terminal, such as all kiosk terminals or representative terminals in each region, by the content group distributed download unit 62a. It is good as a form to keep.

  An operation example related to dynamic load distribution processing in which terminals are linked in the above-described configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The terminal server receives timely operation information for monitoring the load on the terminal side from each vending terminal (in this example, each kiosk terminal) (step S1), and analyzes the usage status of the content at each kiosk terminal 3. (Step S2). The operation information includes information indicating the usage status of the content (the number of sales of each content, the number of accesses, the amount of data processing, or a combination of two or more of them). For example, the number of sales or the number of accesses (or the number of sales and the number of accesses) is compared with the set value (step S3), and the content determined to have a large number of sales or the number of accesses (highly popular content or use from other terminals) Content with a high access load, etc.), the duplicate data of the content is transferred from the kiosk terminal holding the content to one or more kiosk terminals not held and downloaded to the storage unit of the kiosk terminal (step) S4), register in the kiosk terminal database. As a result, it is possible to automatically increase the number of kiosk terminals having popular contents, to distribute the load concentration on some kiosk terminals, and to reduce the data transfer rate between the kiosk terminals. As a result, the data processing load and the communication load are reduced. In addition, information indicating the capability of hardware resources related to the use of content (the above-mentioned line speed, CPU capability, etc.) is compared with a criterion value, and an overload occurs in the service using the content of the kiosk terminal. If it is determined that the load is present, the load concentration on the kiosk terminal is similarly distributed.

  Further, for example, when replicating data is transferred as in step S4 or when a data area purchase request is received from an archive user (step S5) and a data area is secured, the storage area of the kiosk terminal is free. When it is determined that the capacity or the free space in the storage area of the entire kiosk terminal is insufficient (step S6), predetermined contents (for example, contents with a small number of sales or accesses) from the database of the kiosk terminal or some kiosk terminals (Or a content with a large data capacity) is transmitted to the kiosk terminal, and the data of the content is deleted to increase the free storage capacity of the kiosk terminal (step S7). At that time, the content to be deleted is the one existing in any other kiosk terminal, and in the whole system, each content to be provided is stored in the storage unit (database 3a) of any one kiosk terminal. Stored.

  Independent of the processing as described above, based on the information on the terminal installation location and the map information, for example, the area where the content is present is recognized, and the distribution of the access frequency of each terminal is analyzed, and the access frequency is high. The terminal load is re-distributed by operating the content data held by each terminal, such as moving content with a large number of accesses or data processing volume from a local terminal to a local terminal with low access frequency. Also good.

  Next, fee-charging content charging processing will be described.

  The terminal server 6 (or a server for billing processing) is provided with billing means for charged content based on a pay-as-you-go system. The billing means of the terminal server 6 charges the fee information and the amount for each content when billing the usage amount of the paid content from the kiosk terminal, such as the sale of the paid content, the browsing of the paid content, the use of the paid content by two-way communication, etc. The user is charged with (usage time and data amount) as a charging factor.

  In other words, various paid contents such as television broadcasts and video transmission (broadcasting) to mobile phones are not fixed in content units (data set units), but are used (units of seconds or less) and data amounts (packet amounts, etc.) ) Usage rate is monitored on the server side as a billing factor, and user terminals (IP phones, set-top boxes, etc.) are automatically used by the metered rate system using the billing factor (full pay-as-you-go system or in combination with flat-rate and pay-as-you-go system) Charges the user of the terminal) for the content. In addition to cash payment, the settlement is performed by a “prepayment method” using a user terminal or a prepaid card having a payment function using electronic money, or a “postpay method” using a credit card or the like.

  The terminal server 6 is provided with an abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality such as a line failure or a terminal side failure. When a disconnection of a line or a session is detected during a paid content providing service, Charge based on measurement information.

  The database 3a in which content is stored is stored in the storage unit (internal recording medium or external recording medium) area of the kiosk terminal 1 and is shared by each kiosk terminal, and terminals other than the kiosk terminal 1 That is, it is good also as a form hold | maintained in communication terminals (any information processing apparatus which provides the storage area for content storage), such as a database server which a user does not operate directly. In the case of the latter form, for example, the storage area of the user terminal may be provided by the customer, the usage fee for the user terminal may be charged, and the customer may be paid by bank transfer or the like.

  In the above-described embodiment, a case where a kiosk terminal is used as an example of a vending terminal has been described as an example. However, the embodiment is not limited to a kiosk terminal, and is not limited to a kiosk terminal. The present invention can be applied to the case where other information processing terminals such as an institutional automatic transaction apparatus, an arcade game machine, and various content providing apparatuses are used, and also when different types of information processing terminals are used. . In addition, vending terminals are not limited to information processing terminals installed at substantially fixed installation locations, but also include information processing terminals installed on mobile objects such as airplanes, ships, railways, buses, and other vehicles. It is. Furthermore, when only the storage area of the information processing terminal is used, the data processing device does not have an operation means, and home appliances (various IP devices) are not limited to business devices having an operation means for users. Etc. can also be applied as a database server.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the description has been made with paid content data as an example, but the symmetry of content distribution processing and sharing processing is not limited to the paid content data group, and there are various types regardless of paid or free of charge. The data group required for the service can be made symmetric.

It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the whole structure of the distributed service system which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the kiosk terminal which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the example of the peripheral device of a kiosk terminal. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the principal part of the terminal server which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the operation example which concerns on the dynamic load distribution process which cooperated terminals.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 User 2 User terminal 3 Kiosk terminal 3a Database 31 Control part 32 Multimedia service processing part 33 Operation information transmission part 34 Communication control part 35 Peripheral device 4 Communication network 5 Supply front end processor 6 Terminal server 6a Content database 61 Control Unit 62 terminal link operation control unit 62a content group distribution download unit 62b data sharing remote control unit 62c terminal side load monitoring unit 62d dynamic load distribution control unit 63 content update processing unit 64 system information storage unit 65 communication control unit

Claims (13)

For various services using digitized content, equipped with a vending terminal group installed in a store, a station, etc., and a terminal server that connects the vending terminals via a communication network so that they can communicate with each other A distributed service system that distributes the data processing and communication load using each hardware resource of the vending terminal group,
The terminal server is
Content group distributed download means for automatically dividing a content group to be provided into a plurality of content groups and distributing and downloading to a storage area of each storage device of the vending terminal group;
A data sharing remote control means for sharing the content group to be provided to each vending terminal by data transmission control of content belonging to the content group stored in the storage device of the vending terminal;
After the download of the content group, dynamic load distribution control means for executing the load distribution processing in a timely manner according to the processing load of the service in cooperation with the vending terminals,
Have
Further, when it is determined that the storage area of the entire vending terminal group is insufficient, the dynamic load distribution control means transmits an erasure command for erasing predetermined content to some vending terminals. by deleting the data of the content, it has row control to increase the free capacity of the storage area of the entire vending terminal group, and the dynamic load balancing control means, of each content in the vending terminal group The number of sales or the number of accesses is compared with the set value, and for the content that is determined that the number of sales or the number of accesses is large, from the vending terminal that owns the content to one or more vending terminals that do not It performs automatic control to increase the vending terminal carrying the the content by transferring the copy content of the content Distributed service system according vending terminal characterized by and. The dynamic load balancing control means targets content having a large data capacity or content with a small number of sales when the content data is deleted by the deletion command. The distributed service system using vending terminals according to claim 1. The dynamic load distribution control means executes timely redistribution processing of the content group to be provided by moving content between content vending terminals or transferring duplicate content stored in the storage device of the vending terminal. The distributed service system using vending terminals according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the storage location of the content group and the supply source terminal are optimized. 4. The dynamic load distribution control unit executes the load distribution processing based on information indicating a processing capability related to the content service including a line speed. Distributed service system using vending machines. The terminal server further includes terminal-side load monitoring means for automatically analyzing the usage status of each content in the vending terminal group and monitoring the load on the vending terminal side,
The dynamic load distribution control unit performs timely redistribution processing of the content group to be provided in accordance with the usage status of each content analyzed by the terminal side load monitoring unit. 4. A distributed service system using the vending terminal according to any one of 4 above. The vending terminal group has operation information transmitting means for transmitting operation information indicating the content usage status in its own terminal to the terminal server, and the terminal-side load monitoring means receives the operation information from each vending terminal. 6. The distributed service system using vending terminals according to claim 5, wherein information is received in a timely manner to analyze the usage status. The terminal server further includes a data area providing means for accepting a purchase request for a data area for a user from a user terminal or the vending terminal, and providing a storage area of the vending terminal as the data area for the user. A distributed service system using vending terminals according to any one of claims 1 to 6 . The data area providing means uploads the content owned by the user from a storage unit of a user terminal or a recording medium loaded in the vending terminal, and downloads the content to the data area to be sold. 8. The distributed service system using vending terminals according to claim 7 , wherein the distributed service system has a function of registering as paid content. The vending terminal group includes an information processing terminal including at least one of a kiosk terminal, vending machine, ticket vending machine, arcade game machine, vending machine for financial institutions, arcade game machine, and multimedia terminal. distributed service system according vending terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it consists of the group. The distributed service system using vending terminals according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein the vending terminal group includes information processing terminals installed on a moving body such as an airplane, a ship, and a vehicle. Services the distributed service system provides, in addition to the service using the content, any one of claims 1 to 1 0, characterized in that it comprises a service using each stored data of the vending terminal group Distributed service system with vending terminals as described in 1. The distributed service system using vending terminals according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the terminal server includes a fee-based billing unit based on a pay-as-you-go system. It further includes an abnormality detecting means for detecting an abnormality including a line failure and a terminal-side failure, and when the billing means detects the abnormality during the paid content providing service, the billing means includes the measurement information of the metered amount up to that point. distributed service system according vending terminal according to claim 1 2, characterized in that billing based.

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