JPH0991348A - Communication system information provision system and information provision terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent information which is already distributed from being used while the information distribution charge is no collected. SOLUTION: A central controller 31 checks charge information which is acquired to judge whether or not charge information which were acquired in the past has reached a specific period (n months). When (n) months have passed without collection, music information distributed in a period tracing back by specific months from the month when charge information is acquired last is disabled to be used as a locked object by setting a use inhibition flag in the item of the use inhibition flag in a music correspondence table on a hard disk 33.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is provided by an installer of an information providing terminal adapted to receive information from an information center that stores information via an information communication network and provide the user with the information. The present invention relates to a communication type information providing system provided with a billing system for collecting the fee of the distributed information and an information providing terminal used therefor, and more particularly to a technology using a billing communication network such as a videotex network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a communication karaoke system that has become widespread has a configuration in which a large number of music data is stored in advance in a communication karaoke terminal installed in a store or the like, and new music is distributed from a host computer through a telephone line. ing. The charge for the distribution of the new song is obtained by a method in which the music data distribution business operator directly goes to a store of a business operator who installs a karaoke terminal or has the money transferred to a bank account.

However, if the karaoke terminal distributor cannot sell the karaoke terminal to the karaoke terminal installation company, the karaoke terminal installation company can no longer manage the karaoke terminal installation company. There is a problem that it will be difficult to collect the fee.

Further, such management of a karaoke terminal installation business operator and collection of charges for music data distribution are also a heavy burden on the music data distribution business operator side. Therefore, the applicant has considered the construction of a fee collection system using a charging communication network such as a videotex system or a dial queue two system which has been put into practical use in recent years.

[0005] This videotex system is well known in Japan as a captain system.
This system has been put to practical use as interactive image information communication in which a user terminal is connected to an information center via a Videotex communication network, and character information is provided from the information center in response to a request from the user terminal. ing. Then, in order to collect the fee of the information provided from the information center, the above-mentioned videotex communication network has a billing function, and the fee can be collected for each information unit.

The dial queue two system connects a user terminal to an information center via a public line, and adds an information fee per unit time set for each information center to a public line usage fee to be used. The charge is collected by calculation.

[0007]

However, even if a system using such a billing communication network is adopted,
Without solving the following problems, it will be difficult to run a sound information provision business. That is, when the fee charged through the fee-charging communication network is collected by using the fee collection agency service, the information provider is actually paid the information providing fee three to four months after the time when the fee information is transmitted. Will be. This presupposes a trust relationship between the information distributor and the information user who pays the fee, and pays the fee information while delivering the fee first, but actually collecting the fee later. It is a thing.

Since such a post-payment system enables the information providing service after the billing process is completed, there is a possibility that a predetermined fee cannot be collected at the time of settlement. In other words, the information user side uses the fact that the fee is paid later to maliciously collect information, or forgets the payment deadline and leaves the bank account balance below the prescribed amount. If you do, you will not be able to collect the information fee on the specified date. Further, if the information for which the fee has not been collected is allowed to be used permanently thereafter, there is a risk of causing a great obstacle to the system operation.

In addition to the type of system in which the charge is collected with the distribution of such data, the karaoke terminal device stores the music data in advance in a state in which it cannot be used for providing the service. It is also conceivable that the system can be used by charging every other time. In this case as well, by using the Videotex communication network, it becomes possible to collect charges without having to visit each time, but here too, the above-mentioned occurrence of bad debts or uncollected charges are arbitrary. The problem of being used for is likewise encountered.

And, of course, such a problem is not limited to the online karaoke system, but is common to various information providing systems in the future multimedia society. Therefore, the present invention provides not only a troublesome fee collection but also an information providing device for enabling a more healthy operation of the information providing business and an information providing system using the information providing device. To aim.

[0011]

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention The invention according to claim 1 made in order to solve the above-mentioned object, can execute the information providing service to the user based on the stored information. The information providing terminal is periodically connected to the information providing terminal via the billing communication network, and the billing information corresponding to the price of the information is transmitted to the information providing terminal to charge the terminal. And a billing center, and a billing state storage unit that stores whether or not billing has been made for each information used for the information providing service, and the billing state storage unit. And an execution permission means for permitting the execution of the information providing service only for information stored as already charged in the information providing terminal. Even if the information is permitted to be used by the user, if the charging information that should be periodically received from the charging center is not received for a predetermined period, the execution of the information providing service is prohibited by going back for the predetermined period. It is a communication type information providing system characterized by comprising execution prohibition means.

According to this information providing system, the information providing terminal executes the information providing service to the user on the basis of the stored information, and the billing center passes through the information providing terminal and the billing communication network. Connect and charge regularly. Here, in the existing captain system and the dial communication network such as dial queue two, the calling side (the side making the call) is charged, so the information providing terminal side calls the charging center to connect. It will be. However, it is possible to change the configuration of the charging communication network so that the receiving side (the side receiving the call) is charged by the collect call method, as is already in practical use in public telephone lines. Therefore, the connection here may be a call originating from the terminal or a call originating from the charging center as long as the information providing terminal is charged.

When the information providing terminal and the billing center are connected in this manner, the billing center transmits billing information corresponding to the price of the information to the information providing terminal. by this,
The billing to the information providing terminal via the billing communication network is executed. Then, the charging status storage means stores whether the information used for the information providing service is charged or not, and the execution permission means is stored in the charging status storage means as being charged. Only the information provided is permitted to execute the information providing service at the information providing terminal.

In this way, the execution of the information providing service is once permitted, but if it is stored that the billing has been completed, the execution is not permanently permitted thereafter, but the following is performed. Execution of the information providing service is prohibited in certain cases. That is, even if the information is permitted to be used, if the billing information that should be periodically received from the billing center has not been received for the predetermined period, the execution prohibition means traces back the predetermined period and executes the information providing service. Is prohibited.

This is in consideration of the following problems. That is, even if the billing process is performed and it is stored that the billing has been completed, the fee is actually collected at a later date. For example, it is often a monthly settlement method. This is based on the premise of a trust relationship between the information distribution side and the information user side who pays the fee, and it is for the convenience of the user that the fee collection may be done after the pay information is delivered first. is there. Due to such a post-payment system, there is a possibility that a predetermined fee cannot be collected at the time of settlement of accounts even though the billing process can provide the completed information providing service.

[0016] That is, the information user side tries to get rid of the information maliciously by utilizing the fact that the fee has been paid later, or forgets the payment deadline and the balance of the bank account remains below the predetermined amount. If left unattended, the information fee cannot be collected on the specified date. Further, if the information for which the fee has not been collected is allowed to be used permanently thereafter, there is a risk of causing a great obstacle to the system operation.

With respect to such a problem, according to the present system, even if the billing process is executed and the execution of the information providing service is once permitted, the billing information to be periodically received from the billing center. If is not received for a predetermined period, the execution of the information providing service is prohibited by going back a predetermined period. This is because, for example, although there is a premise of the system that the use of information is permitted by receiving the billing information periodically every month, the fact that it has not been received for a predetermined period means that the terminal is arbitrarily moved. There is a high possibility that fraudulent actions will be taken to prevent charges from being made accidentally.In such a case, the terminal does not control the center, but prohibits execution of the information provision service by going back for a predetermined period by the terminal itself. To do. As a result, it is possible to prevent an abnormal state in which the pay information is continuously used for free and enable a sound information provision business to operate.

The information for the information providing service stored in the information providing terminal may be stored in a medium such as a CD-ROM for distribution and may be distributed from the information center. Information may be distributed to the information providing terminal via the information communication network. This is convenient because, for example, the work of adding new information can be performed quickly and easily. In particular, it is preferable to adopt such an information distribution format in a field such as karaoke where there is a strong demand for early addition of new songs.

Further, in the field of so-called online karaoke, for example, new songs may be delivered every few days, so it is preferable that the thus delivered new songs can be used immediately as an information providing service. Therefore,
As described in claim 4, when the information providing terminal receives the billing information from the billing center, the information distributed from the information center within a predetermined period thereafter is stored in the billing state storage means as already billed. It is preferable to permit the execution of the information providing service immediately. For example,
When the billing information is received at the beginning of the month, the information delivered within that month is ready for service execution.

The information transmitted from the billing center to the information providing terminal may be actual information to be distributed as in the case of a normal videotex system, but it has an information communication network and a billing communication network separately. In this case, just dummy data is sufficient. The information transmitted by the charging center to the information providing terminal may be, for example, information as a decryption key. This is because information is stored in the information providing terminal in advance as scramble information, and the information is decrypted or converted into a form that can be provided by receiving a decryption key for descrambling and provided to the user. This is because it is possible to do so.

Further, in the above-mentioned communication type information providing system, execution of the information providing service is prohibited by the execution inhibiting means. However, as described in claim 5, execution of the information providing service by the execution inhibiting means. Even if the service information is once prohibited, if the periodical reception of the billing information from the billing center is resumed after that, the execution permission means permits the execution of the information providing service for the service information. It should be set to.

In this system, if the information communication network and the billing communication network are different communication networks, the following actions and effects are particularly excellent. That is, the information used for the information providing service in the information providing terminal is assumed to be, for example, new music data for karaoke performance or a case where the amount of information is considerably large, such as game software. When distributing information itself from an information center, using a communication network suitable for the distribution may be faster than distributing such information using a billing communication network. This is because an optimum system configuration according to the type of information to be received by the providing terminal can be realized.

As can be seen from the above description, in the case of a system having an information center as well, the charging center and the information center may exist as separate independent centers, or both functions may be provided in one center. You may be prepared. In any case, when connected via the information communication network capable of distributing information to the information providing terminal, it can function as an information center, and when connected via the charging communication network As long as the function of the billing center can be fulfilled and the completion of the billing by the part having the function of the billing center is transmitted to the part having the function of the information center by some means, the two centers are separate entities. It doesn't matter whether you are one or the same. That is, in the present invention,
The information center and the billing center are only expressed separately as concepts, and do not mean only when they are separated as things.

On the other hand, the information providing terminal used in such a system can be constructed as follows. For example, an information providing terminal according to claim 7 is an information storage unit for storing information for providing a service, a billing communication network connecting unit for connecting to a billing center via a billing communication network, and the billing communication network connecting unit. And a billing requesting unit for periodically requesting the transmission of billing information, and capable of executing an information providing service to the user based on the information stored in the information storage unit. The information providing terminal described above is configured to store the charged state for each information used in the information providing service and whether the charged state is not charged, and the charged state is stored in the charged state storing means. Even for information stored as existing, even if the execution permitting means for permitting execution of the information providing service and the information permitted to be used by the execution permitting means, If the Luo not received periodically receives to be charging information for a predetermined period is characterized by comprising an execution inhibiting means for inhibiting the execution of a predetermined period retroactively information services.

The information providing terminal according to claim 8 is the information providing terminal according to claim 7, wherein the information communication network connecting means connects to the information center via the information communication network, and the information from the information center is connected. And an information distribution requesting unit for requesting the distribution when the distribution is attempted, wherein the information storage unit is configured to store the information distributed from the information center. To do.

The information providing terminal according to claim 9 is the information providing terminal according to claim 8.
In the information providing terminal described in (3), when the billing information is received from the billing center, the information distributed from the information center within a predetermined period thereafter is stored in the billing state storage means as being billed. It is characterized by being configured.

An information providing terminal according to a tenth aspect is the information providing terminal according to any one of the seventh to ninth aspects, in which the execution of the information providing service is once prohibited by the execution prohibiting means. After that, when the reception of the periodic billing information from the billing center is resumed, the execution permission means permits the execution of the service information.

An information providing terminal according to an eleventh aspect is the information providing terminal according to any one of the eighth to tenth aspects, wherein the information communication network connecting means is a billing communication to which the billing communication network connecting means is connected. It is characterized in that it is a connection means to an information communication network which is a communication network different from the network.

Of course, in realizing the communication type information providing system of the present invention, the terminals are not limited to these terminals, but the terminals of the above-mentioned five examples can be used as long as they have the same purpose, action and effect. Needless to say, it includes one using a terminal different from. For example, the above claim 7
The information providing terminal such as
The communication type information providing system is not limited to the case where the information providing terminal is provided with the charging status storage means as described above,
The center side may be configured to include these storage means.

[0030]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram when the communication type information providing system of the embodiment is applied to a system related to karaoke, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a karaoke terminal 10 as an information providing terminal which is a component of the system. is there.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the system of this embodiment, a charging center 1 in charge of charging-related processing and a plurality of karaoke terminals 10 are connected via a charging communication network 5, and a karaoke song is recorded. An information center 3 in charge of information transmission-related processing and a plurality of karaoke terminals 10 are connected via an information communication network 7. The charging center 1 and the information center 3 are also connected.

The billing communication network 5 has a function of billing the information fee, such as a videotex communication network or a dial queue to communication network. In Japan today, the Videotex network and the dial queue two network are known as typical examples. The dial queue network is basically a pay-as-you-go calculation in units of time, and the videotex network can set an arbitrary fee for each content of information, and is used for a so-called captain system or the like.

The videotex communication network will be described as an example of the charging function. Specifically, the videotex communication network is composed of, for example, a public telephone line connected to each karaoke terminal 10 and a videotex communication processing device. ing. This Videotex communication processing device connects / exchanges a public telephone line trying to access the Videotex communication network to the charging center 1, manages the karaoke terminal 10 as a user device, and manages subscribers to the charging center 1. It provides communication processing functions such as charging of communication charges and information provision charges collected by the telephone company, communication control between the karaoke terminal 10 and the charging center 1, and conversion processing such as protocol conversion and code / pattern conversion.

Next, regarding the structure of the karaoke terminal 10,
This will be described with reference to FIG. The central control unit 31, which corresponds to the execution permission unit, the execution prohibition unit, the charging request unit, and the information distribution request unit, has a multipurpose input key 32 as an input unit for inputting various instructions, a hard disk 33 as an information storage unit, The voice reproduction circuit 35, the screen display control device 26, the first communication control device 27a which is connectable to the information communication network 7 and corresponds to the information communication network connecting means, and the charging communication network 5
And a second communication control device 27b corresponding to a billing communication network connecting means. In addition, the audio reproduction circuit 35
Is connected to a mixer amplifier 38, and the screen display control device 26 is connected to a television monitor 29 as display means. Further, a speaker 41 and a microphone 43 are connected to the mixer amplifier 38.

Then, the central control unit 31 executes a predetermined charging control process. This charging control process will be described in detail later, but since it is different from the conventional method of using the charging communication network 5, its point will be described. Conventionally, a user terminal receives information via the accounting communication network 5 and executes a predetermined process using the information. Then, the accounting communication network 5 charges a predetermined fee (a predetermined fee set for each information content) as a price for the information.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the information used by the karaoke terminal 10 for the karaoke performance processing is stored in the hard disk 33. On the hard disk 33, karaoke song information of about several thousand songs is stored in advance. In addition,
The karaoke terminal 10 is managed by a karaoke terminal installation business, and can receive supply of music data from a music data distribution business every time new music data is released. In the system of this embodiment, the new music data is connected from the information center 3 via the first communication control device 27a so that the new music data can be received and stored in the hard disk 33 later. There is.

The karaoke piece information stored in the hard disk 33 is composed of piece number information, which is identification information for identifying pieces, and entity information.
The substantive information is MIDI information of accompaniment music.
(Musical Instrument Digital Interface) standard performance information, lyrics information and background video information. The background video information is obtained by encoding video information corresponding to each song.

The karaoke piece information cannot be used as it is. To use it,
By connecting to the charging communication network 5 through the second communication control device 27b and executing the charging control program by the central control device 31, a predetermined charging process using the charging function of the charging communication network 5 is performed, and the karaoke music is performed. The information can be used.

[0039] For example, in the non-charged state, if scramble information is added to the karaoke piece information and it cannot be used as it is, a release key is distributed by the charge processing, and the scramble information is released by the release key. It is possible to permit the use by doing. Also, instead of making the karaoke piece information itself unusable, such as adding scramble information, even if the karaoke piece information itself is physically usable, but the billing state is not billed, A use prohibition flag may be set, and control may be performed such that the karaoke song information is not accepted even if requested. Then, when the charge is completed, the control can be implemented by changing the use prohibition flag to the usable flag.

In the present embodiment, in the song correspondence table, either the usable flag or the use prohibited flag is set for each song, and the use is permitted or prohibited according to the flag. Has been done. The song correspondence table stored in the hard disk 33 includes a table including, for each piece of karaoke song information, items of the song number, song title, reception date, charging status, and use permission prohibition flag.

The charge status is either "charged" for which predetermined charge processing has been completed or "uncharged" for which charge processing has not been completed. As the use permission prohibition flag, the permission or prohibition flag is set as described above. First, when the charge state is "uncharged", the use prohibition flag is set and the music is prohibited. It is in a locked state that cannot be used. Then, when it becomes "charged" by a predetermined charging process, the use permission flag is set, the locked state is released, and the music information can be freely used.

In the present embodiment, for example, the billing information is received at the beginning of the month, and the information distributed within that month is set as "billed" immediately after receiving the distribution.
Therefore, since the use permission flag is set, the service can be executed immediately. This is for the following reason.

That is, in the field of online karaoke, new songs are often delivered every few days, so it is preferable that the new songs thus delivered can be used immediately as an information providing service. Since it is troublesome to execute the billing process every time information is delivered, the billing for one month is billed first, and the ones that are delivered during the following month are automatically used. It was made possible.

Of course, the information may be distributed in advance and stored in the hard disk 33, and the use of the stored information may be permitted after receiving the billing information later. In this case, since "uncharged" is stored in the song correspondence table at the time of being distributed and stored in the hard disk 33, the "use prohibition flag" is set and it cannot be used. When the billing information is received later, "charged" is stored in the song correspondence table, and the "usage permission flag" is set so that the song can be used freely. The following embodiments will be described on the premise of pre-charge / post-delivery.

When the use permission flag is set and the karaoke piece information becomes available, the user operates the multipurpose input key 32 to select the piece to be sung. Then, the central controller 31 executes a karaoke performance process according to a predetermined karaoke performance program. In brief, the central control unit 31 reads performance information, lyrics information, and background video information corresponding to the selected song from the hard disk 33, and sends the performance information to the audio reproduction circuit 35.
The lyrics information and the background video information are transferred to the screen display control device 26, respectively.

The performance information output to the voice reproduction circuit 35 is converted into an analog performance signal, then sent to the mixer amplifier 38 to be electrically amplified and input through the microphone 43 to the singing voice of the user. And is mixed in a proper ratio. The mixed audio signal is output to the outside as a performance sound by the speaker 41.

On the other hand, the lyrics information which is output in synchronization with the performance information is displayed on the television monitor 29 after being combined (superimposed) with a background video signal, which will be described later, in the screen display control device 26. Thereby, the TV monitor 29
Is displayed in a state where the lyrics telop is combined with the background video.

Next, the structure of the charging center 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The billing center 1 is a host computer 5
1, a storage device 53, an input device 55, a communication control device 57, a printer 59, and a CRT 61.
The storage device 53 stores various control programs for operating the host computer 51 and the karaoke terminals 1
It is for storing the billing record and the like for each 0. In other words, something similar to the above-described music correspondence table is stored corresponding to each karaoke terminal 10.

Various commands can be input from the input device 55. For example, a billing record or the like can be created based on billing information for each karaoke terminal 10 stored in the storage device 53, or can be generated. It can be printed by the printer 59 or displayed on the CRT 61.

Next, the structure and function of the information center 3 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the information center 3 includes a communication control device 77 connected to the karaoke terminal 10 via the information communication network 7, and a storage device 73 for accumulating karaoke piece data to be distributed to the karaoke terminal 10. Are controlled by a host computer 71 as a central controller. Various devices such as an input device 75, a printer 79, and a CRT 81 are connected to the host computer 71. The storage device 73 also stores various control programs for operating the host computer 71 in addition to the karaoke song data.

The information center 3 thus constructed transmits the karaoke piece data to each karaoke terminal 10 via the information communication network 7. This transmission is performed from the information center 3 side at intervals of about every few days to add new song data. For example, the karaoke terminal 10 side periodically inquires about new songs (for example, once a day), If there is a new song to be delivered in response to the inquiry, the delivery process may be performed. In any case, as a result, the karaoke piece information is transmitted from the information center 3 to the karaoke terminal 10.

Next, the operation of the system of this embodiment having the above configuration will be described. First, the operation of the karaoke terminal 10 will be described based on the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 to 8. When the power is turned on, the main routine of FIG. 4 is started.

First, in the first step S1, the entire device is initialized, such as resetting the communication control devices 27a and 27b. Next, in S2, it is checked whether or not the karaoke performance mode is specified as the operation specification of the karaoke terminal 10. If the karaoke terminal installation company specifies the karaoke performance mode, the process proceeds to S3, and if not, the process proceeds to S4.

At S3, a subroutine is called to perform karaoke performance processing. This karaoke performance process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the first step S30 of the karaoke performance process, a key input from the multipurpose input key 32 is waited for, and if there is a key input (S30: YES), S
At 31, it is determined whether it is a request number input. If the request number is input, S
The process shifts to 32 and it is determined whether or not the song is a lock target. This is determined based on whether or not the use prohibition flag is set in the item of the use permission prohibition flag in the above-described song correspondence table.

If the use permission flag is set, the flow advances to S33 to execute the music of the requested number, but if the use prohibition flag is set, it is a lock target. Therefore, the process proceeds to S35, and a display indicating that it is unavailable is displayed on the television monitor 29. After the process of S33 or S35, the process proceeds to S34.

On the other hand, if it is determined in S31 that the request number has not been input, in S36, the process corresponding to the other key input is executed and then the process proceeds to S34. S3
In step 4, it is determined whether or not there is an instruction to end the karaoke mode. If there is no end instruction, the process returns to S30. If there is an end instruction, the karaoke performance process is terminated and the process proceeds to S4 in the flowchart of FIG. Transition.

In S4, as an operation designation of the karaoke terminal 10, it is checked whether it is a predetermined time for charging. This is because in the present system, each karaoke terminal 10 is obliged to perform the charging process once a month. For example, on the 1st day of every month, the charging center 1 sends predetermined charging information. Request. If it is a predetermined time for billing, the process proceeds to S5, and if not specified, the process proceeds to S6.

At S5, a subroutine is called to perform billing-related processing. This charging-related process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the first step S50,
It is checked whether the closing process for the charging center 1 is completed. This closing process is a predetermined process for stopping the information distribution from the information center 3. If this closing process is completed, new information is not distributed, and as a result, it becomes unnecessary to receive the charging information from the charging center 1.

Therefore, if the closing process has been completed (S50: YES), the process is skipped without executing the processes of S51 and thereafter, and this process is terminated. On the other hand, if the closing process is not completed (S50: NO), in S51,
Call processing is performed to connect to the charging center 1.

Then, in S52, it is determined whether or not the connection with the charging center 1 is successful. If the connection with the charging center 1 fails (S52: NO), the process proceeds to S53. In S53, the retry counter is counted up, and then it is determined whether the number of retries exceeds a predetermined number. If it is less than or equal to the predetermined number of times (S53: NO),
Returning to S51, the connection to the charging center 1 is tried again. If it is not possible to connect to the charging center 1 even after repeating the predetermined number of times (S53: YES), the process proceeds to S54.

In S54, the acquired billing information is checked, and in S55, it is determined whether or not the billing information that has not been acquired in the past has reached a predetermined period (n months). If the period that has not been acquired is less than n months (S55:
NO), the process is finished as it is.

On the other hand, if the unacquired period is more than n months (S55: YES), the process proceeds to S56, and a predetermined number of months are traced back from the month when the billing information was finally acquired, that is, ( (n + m) Perform invalidation processing so that the music information distributed during the period from the previous month to the previous n months cannot be used. Although the process of receiving a new song to be distributed will be described later, in brief, in the system of this embodiment, the billing information is received first, for example, at the beginning of the month, and then distributed from the information center 3 during the month. The information on the selected song is automatically made available. That is, for the received music, the use permission flag is set in the item of the use permission prohibition flag of the music correspondence table, and the use of the music information is enabled.

Therefore, in the process of S56, the reception date is (n + m) months before to n months before among the music information which is enabled by the use permission flag being set. The use prohibition flag is set for the piece of music information corresponding to, and it is disabled.

As for the tune for which the use-prohibited flag is set in this way, it becomes impossible to use the karaoke performance process (FIG. 5) because it is determined to be affirmative in the determination of S32, that is, the lock target. . Returning to FIG. 6, if an affirmative judgment is made in S52, that is, if the connection to the billing center 1 has succeeded (S52: YES), the flow proceeds to S57 to perform billing information request / reception processing. The price for enabling the new song to be distributed is set, for example, monthly fixed amount or monthly, and the price is grasped by the charging center 1 side. Therefore, this S57
Then, there is no request regarding the amount of money, and only a request for the billing information (for this month) to be transmitted is requested. Then, the billing information transmitted in response to the request is received. When the billing information is received in the process of S57, the history of the number of months of billing information received is stored in a predetermined table. Therefore, by referring to this table, it is possible to determine up to which month the billing information has been received.

When the processing of S57 is completed, the process proceeds to S58, the connection with the billing center 1 is released in S58, and then S
Move to 59. In S59, it is determined whether or not the charging information has been normally acquired, and if the acquisition of the charging information has failed (S59: NO), the process proceeds to S60. In S60, the retry counter is counted up, and then it is determined whether or not the number of retries exceeds a predetermined number. If it is less than the predetermined number of times (S60: NO), the process returns to S51, and the connection to the charging center 1 is tried again. If the charging information cannot be acquired from the charging center 1 even after repeating the predetermined number of times (S60: YES), the process proceeds to S54 to check the acquired charging information.

On the other hand, if the billing information has been acquired (S59: YES), this process is terminated and the process proceeds to step S6 in the flowchart of FIG. Returning to FIG. 4, S6
Then, as the operation specification of the karaoke terminal 10, it is checked whether it is a predetermined time for inquiring about a new song.
This is for inquiring whether or not there is music data to be distributed from the information center 3 once a day, for example, in order to acquire data of a new music as soon as possible. If it is a predetermined time for inquiring about a new song, the process proceeds to S7 to execute a new song inquiry process. If it is not the predetermined time for inquiring about a new song, the process proceeds to S2.

At S7, a subroutine is called to perform a new song inquiry / reception process. The new song inquiry / reception process will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. First step S68 of new song inquiry / reception processing
Then, it is checked whether or not the closing process for the information center 3 is completed. If the closing process has not been completed (S68: NO), the process proceeds to S70. If the closing process has been completed (S68: YES), move to S69,
Check whether all new song data for the billed month has been acquired. If it has been acquired (S
69: YES), the new song inquiry / reception processing ends, and the process proceeds to S2 in FIG. If the acquisition has not been completed (S69: NO), the process proceeds to S70.

Then, in S70, the information center 3 is connected via the information communication network 7. After the connection process with the information center 3 is completed, the process proceeds to S71. In S71, the information center 3 is inquired about the presence or absence of a new song, and in S72, the answer to the inquiry is received. If it is determined from the answer that there is new song data to be distributed (S73: YE
In S) and S74, a request to acquire all the new songs to be distributed is sent to the information center 3.

In subsequent S75, as a response to the all song acquisition request, the karaoke song information regarding the new song transmitted from the information center 3 is received and the built-in hard disk 33 is received.
Save to In addition, along with the saving to the hard disk 33, the song number, song name, and reception date of the saved song are written in the song correspondence table, and "charged" is automatically written in the charging status item. Then, the “use permission flag” is set in the item of the use permission prohibition flag.

When the saving to the hard disk 33 is completed in S75, the process proceeds to S76 and the connection release process with the information center 3 is performed. If it is determined in S73 that there is no new song data to be distributed (S73: NO), the process proceeds to S73.
After moving to 77 and storing no new song data, S76
Move to. In this case, the fact that there is no new music data may be displayed on the television monitor 29.

After the completion of the disconnection with the information center 3 in S76, the process proceeds to S2 in the flowchart of FIG. The above is the operation of the central control unit 31 of the karaoke terminal 10, and performs each processing of the karaoke performance, the charging-related processing for enabling or disabling the karaoke music information, and the reception of the karaoke music information regarding the distributed new music. To do.

Next, the operation of the charging center 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. After the power is turned on, the charging center 1 executes the processing from step S100. In S100,
Initialization of the entire device such as resetting of the communication control device 57 is performed. After finishing the process of S100, the process proceeds to S101.

In S101, it is checked whether or not there is a connection request from the karaoke terminal 10. If there is, the process proceeds to S102, and if there is not, the process of S101 is repeated to enter the standby state. In S102, the karaoke terminal 10 is connected to the karaoke terminal 10 in response to the connection request. After the connection is completed, the process proceeds to S103.

At S103, the charging request information from the karaoke terminal 10 is received. The billing request information is the information requested in S57 shown in FIG. In S104,
In response to the request, the predetermined charging information is transmitted to the corresponding karaoke terminal 10. After the transmission is completed, the process proceeds to S105.

In S105, the connected karaoke terminal 10 is connected.
Disconnect with. After the disconnection is completed, the process proceeds to S101. The above is the operation of the host computer 51 of the charging center 1, and performs processing of receiving charging request information from the karaoke terminal 10 and transmitting predetermined charging information. Here, the communication processing of both will be described with reference to the communication sequence diagram of FIG.

The karaoke terminal 10 makes a call to the billing center 1, and after the connection is established, the password is transmitted to the billing center 1. The billing center 1 receives this via the communication control device 57, and the host computer 51 performs terminal verification using a telephone number, password, etc., and returns normal verification if the karaoke terminal 10 is registered in the charging center 1. To do. The karaoke terminal 10 transmits the charging information request after the charging center 1 is set in the accepting state after receiving the verification result.

As described above, this billing information request is the "request for transmitting the billing information for this month", and the information providing fee in this case is basically the fee determined by the charging center 1 side, so the karaoke terminal No charge is specified from 10. In the fee collection agency system that constitutes the charging communication network 5, which karaoke terminal 10 has transmitted the charging information from the charging center 1 via the charging communication network 5 is acquired as a charging record. The telephone operator, based on this billing record,
A service is provided in which the information providing fee is collected in the form of being added to the telephone fee billed to the operator who installs the corresponding karaoke terminal 10 and is handed to the music information distributing operator who is the information provider. This is itself well known as Videotex performed by NTT.

When the charge is actually collected on the telephone company side, the collection record is stored in the storage device 53 of the charging center 1. In other words, the storage device 53 of the charging center 1 has a table for storing the transmission record of monthly charging information (that is, the charging record) for each karaoke terminal 1.
If the karaoke terminal 10 stores a billing request, the billing information is transmitted and the billing status of the corresponding month is set to billed.

Next, the operation of the information center 3 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. After turning on the power, the information center 3 executes the processing from step S120. In S120, initialization of the entire device such as resetting of the communication control device 77 is performed. Then, the flow shifts to S121, where the karaoke terminal 10
Check if there is a connection request from. If there is, S122
If not, the process of S121 is repeated to enter a standby state.

At S122, the karaoke terminal 10 is connected to the karaoke terminal 10 in response to the connection request from the karaoke terminal 10.
After the connection is completed, the process proceeds to S123. In S123, the inquiry about the presence or absence of a new song is received from the karaoke terminal 10, and S
The answer is sent at 124. If the answer is that there is no new song data (S125: NO), the karaoke terminal 10 side disconnects the line connection as it is as described above, and the subsequent communication is no longer necessary.
The connection with is released (S140), and the process returns to S121.

On the other hand, if the answer is that there is new song data (S125: YES), there is a request from the karaoke terminal 10 and it is received (S126). S7 in FIG. 7 above
As described in 4, the request is a request to acquire all songs, so in S127, all karaoke song information relating to the new song to be distributed is transmitted.

When the transmission of the new song data is completed in S127, the process proceeds to S128 and the connection with the karaoke terminal 10 is released. After the connection release processing is completed, the process proceeds to S121, and the above processing is repeated. The operation of the host computer 71 of the information center 3 has been described above.
If there is new song data to be delivered in response to a new song inquiry from 0, a process of delivering the new song data is executed.

Note that this processing is executed in connection with the new song inquiry / reception processing on the karaoke terminal 10 side shown in FIG. 7, and regarding the communication processing of both, refer to the communication sequence diagram of FIG. Explain. Karaoke terminal 1
0 makes a call to the information center 3 via the information communication network 7, and after the connection is established, the password is transmitted to the information center 3.

The information center 3 receives the information via the communication control device 77, and the host computer 71 performs terminal verification using a telephone number, password, etc. If the karaoke terminal 10 is registered in the information center 3, the verification is performed. Return normal. The karaoke terminal 10 inquires about the presence or absence of a new song after the information center 3 becomes ready to receive the collation normality.

The information center 3 accepts this inquiry, searches for new song data for the karaoke terminal 10 and sends the inquiry response to the karaoke terminal 10.
That is, it is an answer indicating whether or not there is new song data.
The karaoke terminal 10 determines whether or not there is new song data based on the answer result, and if there is new song data, sends a request for obtaining all songs of the new song data to the information center 3. Then, the information center 3 that has received this request transmits the corresponding new song data, that is, karaoke song information, to the karaoke terminal 10. The karaoke terminal 10 receiving and saving this disconnects the connection with the information center 3.

According to the embodiment described above, the karaoke terminal 10 first receives the billing information for the month from the billing center 1 at the beginning of the month, and thereafter is delivered from the information center 3 during the month. When the music information is received and stored in the hard disk 33, it is automatically stored in the music correspondence table, and the usage permission flag is automatically set in the music correspondence table. However, even if such a usage permission flag is set, execution is not permanently permitted thereafter. The use of music information is prohibited in a predetermined case as follows.

That is, the present system is established on the assumption that the charging information for the new song to be distributed later in the month is charged first by receiving the charging information first (monthly) first. Therefore, if the billing information to be regularly received from the billing center 1 has not been received for a predetermined period, the use of the music information is prohibited by going back a predetermined period.

This considers the following problems. That is, even if the billing information is received and stored as billed, the fee is actually collected at a later date. For example, it is often a monthly settlement method. This is based on the premise of a trust relationship between the information distribution side and the information user side who pays the fee, and it is for the convenience of the user that the fee collection may be done after the pay information is delivered first. is there. Due to such a post-payment system, there is a possibility that a predetermined fee cannot be collected at the time of settlement of accounts even though the billing process can provide the completed information providing service.

In other words, the information user side attempts to maliciously collect information by utilizing the fact that the fee has been paid later, or forgets the payment deadline and the balance of the bank account remains below the predetermined amount. If left unattended, the information fee cannot be collected on the specified date. Further, if the information for which the fee has not been collected is allowed to be used permanently thereafter, there is a risk of causing a great obstacle to the system operation.

With respect to such a problem, according to the present system, even if the charging process is executed and the execution of the information providing service is once permitted, the charging information to be periodically received from the charging center. If is not received for a predetermined period, the execution of the information providing service is prohibited by going back a predetermined period. This is because, for example, although there is a premise of the system that the use of information is permitted by receiving the billing information periodically every month, the fact that it has not been received for a predetermined period means that the terminal is arbitrarily moved. There is a high possibility that fraudulent actions will be taken to prevent charges from being made accidentally.In such a case, the terminal does not control the center, but prohibits execution of the information provision service by going back for a predetermined period by the terminal itself. To do. As a result, it is possible to prevent an abnormal state in which the pay information is continuously used for free and enable a sound information provision business to operate.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments as described above, and can be carried out in various modes without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the follow-up after the use prohibition flag is set and the use is prohibited because the billing information has not been received for a predetermined period has not been described. Even if the information is information, when the periodical reception of the billing information from the billing center 1 is resumed thereafter, the use permission flag may be set again to permit the use of the music information. In this case, in addition to the billing information of the restarted month, the amount of money for the month that was not collected in the past or the amount of the predetermined overdue amount added was added to the billing information of the restarted month. It is possible to set the amount of money.

Further, in the above embodiment, the karaoke piece information of the new piece is transmitted using the information communication network 7, but it may be transmitted using the charging communication network 5. However, when the information communication network 7 is a communication network different from the charging communication network 5 and the karaoke piece information is transmitted through the information communication network 7 as in the above-described embodiment, the following advantages are particularly excellent. Produce an effect. That is, it is assumed that the karaoke song information has a considerably large amount of information, but when such large information itself is distributed, it is preferable to use a communication network suitable for the distribution. This is faster than distributing the karaoke song information itself using the billing communication network 5, so that an optimal system configuration according to the type of information to be received by the karaoke terminal 10 is possible. It is.

Further, although the information communication network 7 is used to add new songs and so-called online transmission is carried out, the information providing terminal of the present invention is used in the communication type karaoke system as in the above embodiment. It is not limited to the karaoke terminal 10. For example, in the case of a stand-alone type, when a new music piece is added, for example, when a service person of a music distribution company directly visits and additionally stores it in the hard disk 33, or when it is stored in a medium such as a CD-ROM and distributed. Even in such a case, the same effect as the case of online can be obtained.

Needless to say, the application of the present invention is not limited to the communication karaoke system, but may be applied to a game software distribution network or the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram when a communication-type information providing system of an embodiment is applied to a system related to karaoke.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a karaoke terminal which is a component of the system of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a billing center and an information center, which are components of the system of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing main processing in the karaoke terminal of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a karaoke performance process in the karaoke terminal of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing charging-related processing in the karaoke terminal of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a new song inquiry / reception process in the karaoke terminal of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing main processing in the charging center of the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing main processing in the information center of the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a communication sequence diagram of a billing process according to the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a communication sequence diagram of new song inquiry and new song transmission / reception processing according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Billing center 3 ... Information center 5 ... Billing communication network 7 ... Information communication network 10 ... Karaoke terminal 26 ... Screen display control device 27a ... First communication control device 27b ... Second communication control device 29 ... Television monitor 31 ... Central control Device 32 ... Multipurpose input key 33 ... Hard disk 35 ... Audio reproduction circuit 38 ... Mixer amplifier 41 ... Speaker 43 ... Microphone 51, 71 ... Host computer 53, 73 ... Storage device 55, 75 ... Input device 57, 77 ... Communication control device 59, 79 ... Printer 61, 81 ... CR
T

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Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An information providing terminal adapted to execute an information providing service to a user based on stored information, and the information providing terminal is periodically connected to the information providing terminal via a charging communication network, A communication-type information providing system, comprising: a billing center that bills a terminal by transmitting billing information corresponding to the price of information to the information providing terminal, and billing for each information used for the information providing service. Billing state storage means for storing whether it has been charged or not, and execution permission for permitting execution of the information providing service only for information stored in the billing state storage means as being billed Means for periodically receiving information from the billing center, even if the information providing terminal is information whose use is permitted by the execution permitting means. To when the charging information has not been received for a predetermined period of time, the communication type information providing system characterized in that it comprises the execution inhibiting means for inhibiting the execution of a predetermined period retroactively information services. 2. The communication type information providing system according to claim 1, further comprising: an information center that stores information, wherein the information providing terminal receives information distributed from the information center via an information communication network. A communication-type information providing system, characterized by being stored and capable of executing the information providing service based on the information. 3. The communication type information providing system according to claim 1, wherein the information providing terminal also includes the charging state storage unit and the execution permission unit. . 4. The communication type information providing system according to claim 2, wherein when the information providing terminal receives the billing information from the billing center, the information distributed from the information center within a predetermined period after that. A communication-type information providing system, characterized in that the charging status storage means is configured to store that the charging has been completed. 5. The communication type information providing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein even if the service information is such that execution of the information providing service is once prohibited by the execution prohibiting means, then the billing center is provided. The communication type information providing system, wherein the execution permitting unit permits the execution of the information providing service for the service information when the reception of the periodic billing information from the device is resumed. 6. The communication type information providing system according to claim 2, wherein the information communication network is a communication network different from a billing communication network,
The communication type information providing system, wherein the information transmitted from the billing center to the information providing terminal is dummy data including billing information. 7. Information storage means for storing information for service provision, charging communication network connecting means for connecting to a charging center via a charging communication network, and periodically via the charging communication network connecting means. An information providing unit, which is connected to the billing center and has a billing requesting unit for requesting the transmission of billing information, so that the user can be provided with an information providing service based on the information stored in the information storage unit. A terminal, a charging status storage unit that stores whether the information is used or not charged for each information used for the information providing service, and the charging status storage unit stores that charging has been completed. For information only, even if the execution permitting unit that permits execution of the information providing service and the information whose use is permitted by the execution permitting unit should be periodically received from the billing center. When the charging information has not been received for a predetermined period of time, the information providing terminal, characterized in that it comprises an execution inhibiting means for inhibiting the execution of a predetermined period retroactively information services. 8. The information providing terminal according to claim 7, wherein the information communication network connecting means is connected to the information center via the information communication network, and when the information distribution is attempted to be received from the information center. And an information distribution requesting unit for requesting the information distribution unit, wherein the information storage unit is configured to store the information distributed from the information center. 9. The information providing terminal according to claim 8, wherein when the billing information is received from the billing center, information distributed from the information center within a predetermined period thereafter is stored in the billing state storage means. An information providing terminal, characterized in that it is configured to store that it has been charged. 10. The information providing terminal according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein even if the service information is temporarily prohibited from being executed by the execution prohibiting means, the information from the billing center is then transmitted. The information providing terminal, wherein the execution permitting unit permits the execution of the service information when the reception of the periodic billing information is resumed. 11. The information providing terminal according to claim 8, wherein the information communication network connecting unit is a communication network different from a charging communication network to which the charging communication network connecting unit is connected. An information providing terminal characterized by being a connecting means to an information communication network.