WO2002044906A1

WO2002044906A1 - Contents providing method

Info

Publication number: WO2002044906A1
Application number: PCT/JP2000/008455
Authority: WO
Inventors: Toru Saito
Original assignee: Flex-Firm Inc.
Priority date: 2000-11-29
Filing date: 2000-11-29
Publication date: 2002-06-06
Also published as: JPWO2002044906A1; AU2001215553A1

Abstract

A method for providing contents data to internet terminals connectable to the Internet through a server computer connected to the Internet, wherein if image data referred to is present in the contents data to be distributed to the internet terminals, conversion of the description format of the contents data to another format corresponding to the access method of the internet terminals and conversion of the image file format of the image data to another image file format displayable on the internet terminals are separately performed, and the contents data and/or the image data the format of which is converted is distributed to the internet terminals.

Description

Description Content provision method Technical field

The present invention relates to a content providing method for distributing content data to an Internet terminal connectable to the Internet. Background art

In recent years, the spread of the Internet, which is an open network of computers, has been remarkable, and the usage status of personal computers has increased, and the use of computers has shifted from business use to personal use. The number of users is also increasing rapidly.

On the other hand, with the spread of mobile phones in recent years, Internet connection services that enable these mobile phones to connect to the Internet have been provided. Nevertheless, since it becomes possible to obtain desired information, various contents such as music and images, the number of users is increasing rapidly, and the Internet will continue to be provided through wireless lines such as mobile phones. It is predicted that the number of people using Mopile communication that can access the Internet will increase due to its convenience and the speed of obtaining information.

In this way, the Internet, which was owned by some people until a few years ago, is becoming more and more popular, as mentioned above, with the spread of Basocon to homes and the spread of mobile phones with Internet connection functions. Has become an indispensable means of information (tools).

Therefore, it is indispensable to set up a Web server as a public relations and advertising and EC (Electric Commerce) site in order to provide or disseminate information such as information when considering corporate strategy. It has become to.

However, mobile phones with the Internet connection function With the widespread use of mobile terminals, when constructing a web server that also targets these mobile terminals, the display screen is relatively small because these mobile terminals are portable terminals. Since there are various models and the displayable or receivable content size differs for each model, distribution is performed assuming access from a single type of Internet terminal like a conventional Web server. If the size of the content to be distributed is determined, the delivered content size often exceeds the displayable or receivable content size of the mobile device. There were problems that parts were not displayed or that the entire content was not displayed.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and the present invention has been achieved by distributing content in a content size suitable for various Internet terminals having different displayable or receivable content sizes. It is an object of the present invention to provide a content providing method that can solve the inconvenience of preventing a user from being successful. Disclosure of the invention

In order to solve the above-described problem, a content providing method of the present invention provides an Internet terminal connectable to an Internet network using a server computer connected to the Internet network. A content providing method for providing data,

The server computer associates one of the type of the Internet terminal and the type of browsing software installed in the Internet terminal with type information that can be specified or estimated, and the Internet terminal is used by the Internet terminal. It has a terminal information database in which at least receivable content size information is registered,

An extracting step of extracting the type information of the Internet terminal from a request message transmitted from the Internet terminal;

The terminal information data is associated with the type information extracted in the extracting step. A content size specifying step of specifying a content size that can be received by the Internet terminal registered in the database;

Comparing the specified content size with the content size to be distributed based on the request message; and in the comparison, when the content to be distributed is larger than the content size specified in the content size specifying step. A page division step of dividing the content data to be distributed to the specified content size or less;

And a distribution step of distributing each of the divided pages for each individual page.

According to this feature, the size of the content data to be distributed is divided into pages smaller than the content size that can be received by the Internet terminal to which the content data is distributed, and the content data is distributed. It is possible to solve such a problem that the size exceeds the content size that can be received by the Internet terminal, and the excess portion is not displayed or the entire content is not displayed.

In the content providing method according to the present invention, it is preferable that, in the page dividing step, a link display enabling selection to be moved to a previous page or a subsequent page is inserted for each divided page.

This makes it possible to move the divided pages quickly and easily.

In the content providing method according to the present invention, in the page dividing step, a delimiter of a predetermined structural element included in the content data to be distributed is searched from a tail side of the content data to be distributed, and It is preferable that the page division is performed on the delimited portion, and the page division is repeatedly performed until the remaining content size of the page division becomes equal to or smaller than the content size specified in the content size specifying step.

In this way, it is possible to efficiently perform the page division processing, and it is possible to reduce the possibility that the contents of each divided page become discontinuous and give the receiver a sense of incongruity. In the content providing method according to the present invention, it is preferable that the structural element is one of a selection list, a check box, and a table.

In this way, by dividing the structural elements into a selection list, a check box, or a table, page division can be suitably performed.

In the content providing method according to the present invention, in the terminal information database, a description format corresponding to the type is registered in association with the type information of the Internet terminal, and the content data to be distributed is stored in an Internet terminal that distributes the content data. It is preferable to include a description format conversion step for converting into the description format specified by the type.

In this way, simply by registering the content in a predetermined file format in the computer (server), it is possible to support the access method of the Internet terminal accessed in the description format conversion step. Since the content data is converted into a description format and distributed to the accessing Internet terminal, each element of the huge content is converted into a description format for each access method as in the related art. There is no need to convert them in advance, and these content data can be centrally managed in a predetermined file format, and the time and cost for updating these content can be significantly reduced. However, maintenance and development of these content data can be easily performed. In addition, since the content data can be centrally managed in one file format of a predetermined format, it is not necessary to provide an address (URL) for each description format, and these addresses (URLs) are also used for each access method. Access users can use the same address (URL) even when the type of Internet terminal used is different, and it is easy for users to understand and improve convenience. .

The content providing method of the present invention may include a type information receiving step of distributing and receiving an input screen of the type information to the Internet terminal when the type information cannot be extracted in the extracting step. I like it. In this way, it is possible to avoid the inconvenience caused by the inability to identify the type of the Internet terminal used by the access user or the type of the browsing software installed on the Internet terminal.

The content providing method according to the present invention has an access step of accessing a management server in which the new terminal information database is registered, a terminal information database registered in the management server, and the time. An update information comparison step of comparing the update information with the terminal information database; and, if the terminal information database registered in the management server is new in the comparison, updating to the new terminal information database is performed. Preferably, a database update step is included.

By doing so, the updating work for updating the terminal information database to the latest one can be performed easily and quickly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a content providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a server computer constituting the content providing system in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing processing contents in a “cross-sublet (X-Serv1et) engine” which is a file conversion program used in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an overall flowchart showing the processing contents of a “cross-sublet (X-Serv1et) engine” which is a file conversion program used in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a method of acquiring terminal information from a request message sent from an Internet user of an access user in the terminal type identification processing in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing contents in the terminal type identification processing in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a terminal information database used in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the contents of the conversion processing of the image data of the quoted image in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the contents of the content data conversion processing in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen divided into pages in the conversion processing of content data in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the processing content of session management in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing processing contents of script processing in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing processing contents in pictogram / code conversion processing in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the contents of the updating process of the terminal information table and the pictograph table in the embodiment of the present invention. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

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

(Example)

FIG. 1 shows a content providing server equipped with a “cross-sublet (X-Ser V 1 et) engine” which is a file conversion program created to realize the content providing method of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the content providing system constructed in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the content providing server used in the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of processing of a “cross-sublet (X-Servlet) engine” which is a file conversion program used in this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a “cross-sublet” engine which is a file conversion program used in this embodiment. (X-Ser V 1 et) engine "is a whole flow diagram showing the processing content, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a method of acquiring terminal information from a request message sent from an access user's Internet terminal in terminal type identification processing, and FIG. 6 shows a processing content in the terminal type identification processing. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the terminal information database used in the present embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the contents of the conversion process of the image data of the quoted image. 9 is a flowchart showing the content data conversion processing. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen divided into pages in the content data conversion processing. FIG. 11 is a session management processing. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the contents of the script processing, and FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the contents of the pictograph and code conversion processing. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the contents of the update processing of the terminal information table and the pictograph table.

First, the content providing system of the present embodiment is configured as shown in FIG.

The distribution center 5 that provides the content providing service is provided with a server computer 6 that is a computer that distributes each content data. The server computer 6 provides a normal telephone service via the Internet 4. The computer terminal 1a connected to Carrier A, which provides the service, and the central control stations 3b, 3 of Carrier B, Carrier C, and Carrier D, which provide mobile phone services. Each mobile phone terminal connected to c and 3d and being a wireless terminal subscribed to each of the mobile phone service companies Carrier B, Carrier C, and Carrier D 1b, mobile phone terminal 1c, and mobile phone terminal 1d are base stations 2b, 2c, 2d of each carrier company, central control stations 3b, 3c, 3d, and gateways not shown. Ri Contact is connectable through over bar in the Intane' preparative network 4, and summer to allow access to server-computer 6 of the distribution center 5 via the Intane' preparative network 4.

The mobile phones used in these embodiments are ordinary mobile phones having an Internet connection function corresponding to a predetermined access method in each carrier company. You can use the phone. In this embodiment, the wireless terminal is a mobile phone. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be a simple mobile phone (Personal Handy Phone; PHS). Furthermore, a terminal such as an MCA radio may be used.

Further, in the present practical example, the server computer 6 is connected to the central control stations 3b, 3c, and 3d of the respective carrier companies via the Internet network 4, but the present invention is not limited to this. Rather, it is optional to connect these central control stations 3b, 3c, 3d to the server computer 6 via a dedicated line or the like.

Also, a content provider that transmits information and the like is provided with a computer terminal 7 that is connected to the server computer 6 installed at the distribution center 5 via the Internet network 4 so as to be able to perform data communication. The computer terminal 7 is used to access the server computer 6 so that the server computer 6 can update the content data provided to the access user.

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, terminal information of each carrier, a mobile phone terminal used in the carrier, information of a browser which is a browsing software, and the like are registered in the server computer 6 as shown in FIG. A terminal information table and a pictogram table in which conversion information such as pictograms used in each terminal and the browser are registered are registered.The terminal information table and the pictogram table are used for new models and new models. Since the versions are released successively, it is necessary to add and update the information sequentially in order to cope with these. Therefore, the updating computer terminal 8 for updating these terminal information tables and pictogram tables is required. The server computer 6 is installed in the management center and the update computer terminal 8 is connected to the Internet network 4 And through it to be accessed on a regular basis is adapted to perform updating of the pictogram table in the terminal information table parallel Pi that is registered.

The configuration of the server computer 6 used in this embodiment is, as shown in FIG. The path 20 is used to control the operation of the server computer 6, in particular, the state of data exchange (session) with the computer terminal 1 a that has accessed it and the mobile phone terminals 1 b, lc, and 1 d of the carriers of each company. Controls are managed based on a predetermined processing program, and the content data is matched to the access method of each carrier of the distribution destination computer terminal 1a and mobile phone terminals 1b, lc, and 1d. Central processing unit (CPU) 21 that performs the process of converting to the converted file format based on the “cross-sublet (XServ 1 et) engine” that is a file conversion program, temporary storage of processing data and the like in the conversion process, etc. 24, a real-time clock (RTC) 26 capable of outputting time information such as access time, and data communication with the Internet 4 A control interface comprising a communication interface 22, a display device 23 such as a display, a magnetic disk or a magneto-optical disk, and describing various control contents executed by the central processing unit (CPU) 21. The program and the file conversion program, the “X-servlet (XServlet) engine”, as well as the content database (DB) in which information provided by the content provider is registered. A terminal information table in which terminal information of mobile phone terminals and browser information as browsing software are registered, and conversion information such as pictograms used in each terminal and browser are registered. It is a normal computer that can execute relatively high-speed processing and is connected to a storage device 25 that stores pictogram tables and the like. The server is provided with a single (common) server address (URL) that can be used when accessing from the above-mentioned consumer terminal 1a or the mobile phone terminals 1b, lc, and Id of each carrier. ing.

Next, an outline of a process in which the server computer 6 of the present embodiment distributes content data to the computer terminal 1a and the mobile phone terminals 1b, lc, and Id of the respective carriers will be described with reference to FIG. For example, when accessing the server computer 6 from the mobile phone terminal lb of the carrier B. First, the server computer 6 sends a request message from the mobile phone terminal 1 b. From the user agent information included in the header of

1b Extracts information that can specify the type of carrier and the model of the terminal, and extracts information such as the type of access method (markup language) of the carrier corresponding to this information and the display performance of the terminal. In addition to obtaining from the table, the content data requested by the request message is obtained from the content database.

The content data read from the content database is converted into an HDML 开 -type file, which is the access method of the carrier company B of the mobile phone terminal 1b that has accessed the file, and in the file conversion, Based on the obtained information such as the display performance, which is the terminal information of the mobile phone terminal 1b, a layout matching the number of display lines and the number of digits on the display device (LCD panel) of the mobile phone terminal 1b is displayed. In this way, the converted HDML file is appropriately modified such as, for example, divided into pages, and transmitted and distributed to the mobile phone 1b, as shown in FIG. If the accessed terminal is the Carrier A's computer terminal 1a, the terminal is accessed in HTML file format, and the accessed terminal is the Carrier C or Carrier D company. In this case, the content data is transmitted and distributed after being converted into the MML and C-HTML file formats, respectively, so that all of these access terminals can obtain the content data from the same server computer 6. Therefore, the content provider registers and updates the information to be provided in the server computer 6 so that the same server address (URL) can be used to transfer the content to all mobile phones and computer terminals having different carriers. It can be delivered. Hereinafter, the content data providing process in the server computer 6 of the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

First, a request message from the computer terminal 1a or a mobile phone, a mobile phone terminal lb, lc, Id (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as an Internet terminal) used by the access user is sent to the server computer 6 at the server computer 6. Received by the running servlet engine and included in the request message The terminal type ID, session ID, and parameters that can specify the type of carrier terminal that is included are sent to the cross-subset core program.

As a method for acquiring the terminal type ID, as shown in FIG. 5, the user-agent information is included in the HTTP header transmitted at the beginning of the request message, and the user-agent information is included in the HTTP header. As shown in Fig. 5, information specific to each carrier is described, as well as the model of the Internet terminal that transmitted the request message and the version information of the browser. Which carrier and which type of terminal the contents match can be specified by collating with the terminal information table shown in FIG.

The specific processing content of the terminal type identification processing for specifying the terminal type based on the description data in the extracted user agent information is as shown in FIG. Based on the acquisition, a carrier name included in the description data and a word indicating the type (model) of the terminal are detected.

Next, the terminal information table is searched using the detected carrier name / terminal model name as a search keyword. At this time, if there is no corresponding registration, the terminal identification table is searched again with the model identification information as “default”. If this does not apply, the carrier suggestion information is set to “default”. The registration information corresponding to the carrier suggestion information and the model identification information determined in this manner, such as the markup language format, the maximum number of bytes of the content, the number of lines on the display screen, and the number of characters, are acquired from the terminal information table. Apply to subsequent content conversion processing.

If no word suggesting the carrier name and the type (model) of the terminal has been extracted or there is no corresponding word in the terminal information table search, the carriers registered in the terminal information table are listed. A data entry screen configured to allow the access user to select and enter information on the terminal model is returned to the Internet terminal that sent the request message, and the carrier company and terminal model are selected by the access user. If In, information on the selected carrier company and terminal model is retrieved by searching a terminal information table.

In this way, if the carrier company and terminal model cannot be specified from the request message, it is not possible to return the data entry screen to the access user's Internet terminal and accept information about the carrier company and terminal model. However, since the carrier company and the terminal model are unspecified, it is preferable to avoid inconvenience that inappropriate conversion processing is performed in the subsequent content conversion processing and the like, but the present invention is not limited to this. Absent.

The configuration of the terminal information table used in this embodiment used in these terminal type identification processing, etc., is as shown in Fig. 7, and corresponds to the "name" and "model" of "browser" corresponding to each carrier company. Yes “Terminal” name, information on receivable contents (“markup language” name, content character code, maximum number of content bytes), information on terminal screen size (“Number of horizontal characters” and “Number of vertical lines” in “Screen”), information on images that can be displayed (“Format”, “Number of horizontal pixels”, “Number of vertical pixels” in “Image”,

Information such as “aspect ratio”, “animability”, “color mode”, and “color / gradation number”) is registered. These terminal information tables are updated regularly by the update process described later. Has been updated.

Next, in the cross-sublets core program, as shown in FIG. 4, session information acquisition processing is performed, and the specific processing contents of the session information are as shown in FIG. In other words, if the session ID is not included in the request message, the session ID is recognized as a new session and a session ID is created. If the session is shorter than the standard lifetime, it is stored and managed in the GO set, otherwise stored in the other set and managed.

Here, the GO set is a set that manages all sessions that have been accessed between a certain time and the reference life time (however, those whose lifespan is less than the reference life time). Also, if the current time is " When the time has passed, the G 0 set is managed by changing its name to the G 1 set. Then, the GO set is newly defined as “from the current time to the time obtained by adding the reference life time”. When the G0 set is changed to the G1 set, if the G1 set already exists, all its contents are discarded. This enables efficient deletion of invalid sessions.

Here, if it contains a session ID to the request message, checks the expiration date of tweezers Yon ID, and if not valid, discard the session, as ^¾ above, new session ID To get. If it is valid, the last access time of the session is updated and stored in the GO set or other set.

Thus, the session is identified and the session ID is used as a key to identify the session. After that, processing such as content acquisition and conversion is performed, and before responding to the processing result to the user, if the HTTP Cookie is available, the session ID is set to Cookie and the user is responded with the content processing result. You. If the cookie is not available, the system responds to the user by adding session ID information to all the linked URLs included in the content. Note that even if the above-mentioned HTTP Cookie can be used, the HTTP Cookie may not be used.

Next, the pictograms and character codes included in the request message are converted based on the conversion contents registered in the pictogram table corresponding to the carrier company and terminal model information obtained in the terminal type identification processing. The corresponding pictograms and character codes are converted to the prescribed ones.

Based on the request message converted to the predetermined character code, the requested content data is specified, the corresponding content data is obtained from the content database (DB), and the document object model (DOM) is obtained. create.

After the creation of these document object models (DM), the script execution process is performed. The processing contents of the scribing execution processing in this embodiment are as shown in FIG. 12, and based on the request message, If the content obtained from the content database (DB) contains a script (a type of program processed on the user terminal), the script is executed on the server and the Set the value to determine the content of the screen to be displayed.

The content conversion processing and pictogram conversion processing are performed on the determined content, and a response is made to the user. At this time, standard style sheets are provided for content conversion. Note that the script is used to change the value of a variable or the like in accordance with a user operation, and to change the display screen only by processing on the user terminal. In the case of this embodiment, the script is used. The operation result is transmitted to the server as a request message, and the server performs this processing.

Doing so only enables the provision of content to Internet terminals that do not have the ability to process the script in the format included in the content, and greatly increases the processing load on the Internet terminal associated with processing these scripts. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

After these scribing processes, the content data conversion process is performed. The content data conversion processing in this embodiment is as shown in Fig. 9.If the content requested in the request message has already been converted and exists in the cache, Fetch the specified page of content and respond to the user. If the content does not exist in the cache, the content is obtained by executing an application program on the server side, such as a servlet, and the content is converted based on the terminal information.

Five

At this time, if the converted content size exceeds the receivable content size (specified in the terminal information table) on the Internet terminal receiving the content distribution, the content acquired for distribution is deleted. Search from the end, divide by the part that can be separated (in this embodiment, delimitation of structural elements such as selection list, check box, table, etc.), and divide first For the part, convert the content and pictogram again. This is repeated until the content size becomes a size that can be received by the terminal, and a link to one or both of the “previous page” and “next page” is added to each page, and each of the divided pages is provided to the user. The responding page. Then, for the unprocessed portion of the first content, the content conversion, pictograph conversion, and size check are repeated in the same manner, all the contents are converted, all pages are created, and registered in the cache. After that, the user is returned to the specified page (or the first page if no page is specified).

The display situation by page division in these file conversion processes will be described with reference to Fig. 10. If the content size exceeds the size (number of characters) that can be received (displayable) by the terminal, the content must be divided into pages. However, as shown in FIG. 10, a part of the content is not displayed or the entire content is not displayed.

In contrast, when page division is performed as described above, as shown in Fig. 10, all contents can be displayed without omission by sequentially moving each divided page. When moving these divided pages, one or both links of “previous page” and “next page” are provided as in this embodiment, so that the pages can be easily moved between pages. The present invention is not limited to this, although it is preferable because it becomes possible.

Further, in the present embodiment, the division is divided at the division of the structural element of the content, specifically, at the portion where the selection list / checkbottas or the table or the like exists. This is preferable because it is possible to minimize the possibility that the access user will feel uncomfortable due to inappropriate parts, and it will be possible to perform appropriate division.However, the present invention is not limited to this. The delimiter may be appropriately selected so that the division does not give an unnatural feeling to the access user.

Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, the division part of the structural element to be divided is determined from the end of the content acquired for distribution, as described above. A method is used in which search is performed and divided sequentially, and division is repeatedly performed until the remaining content size becomes smaller than the content size that can be received by the Internet terminal that performs distribution. Is preferable because the division process can be performed efficiently, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the division method and the like are arbitrary.

If a quoted image exists in the file-converted content data, the image data of the quoted image is converted. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 8, when an image is requested in the request message, the specified image name (for example, a.gif) and the identified terminal name (for example, N502i) ) Search for cache using as a key. If the corresponding data exists in the cache, calculate the digest value of the specified image a.gif and compare it with the saved digest value.

If the two match, it is determined that the specified image has not been changed, and the converted image data stored in the cache is responded to the user as a response. Except in this case, when the size of the specified image a.gif is large, compression processing is performed when the size of the specified image a.gif is large, color reduction processing is performed when the number of colors is large, Performs conversion and responds to the user with the processing result. At this time, if the digest value for a.gif already exists in the cache and it is different from the value calculated this time, all cache contents for a.gif are discarded. Then, the converted image is stored in the cache using the digest value of a.gif and the image name a.gif and the terminal name N502i as keys.

As described above, when converting image data, it is determined whether or not the data corresponding to the converted image data already exists in the cache, and if so, the conversion process is not performed. Although it is preferable because the processing load involved in the image conversion process can be reduced, the present invention is not limited to this, and the image data may be uniquely converted to update the cache data.

In addition to the conversion of these image data, the converted content data Performs the conversion process of pictograms and character codes inside. These processing contents are described as a series of processing along with the conversion of pictographs and character codes in the above-mentioned request message as specific processing contents based on the flow of FIG. 13.If the URL specified in the request message is In the case of executing a server side program such as a servlet, the emoticon code included in the request message is converted into a unified emoticon code by searching the “pictograph table”. Also converts the request message to the character code assumed by the specified server side program. After that, the server side program is executed and the content is obtained as a result.

If the URL specified in the request message is not the execution of the server-side program, the content may be acquired from the specified URL, for example, from the computer terminal 7 of the content provider.

The character code of the content obtained in this way is converted into the character code of the output terminal, and all the pictogram codes included in the content are converted into the pictogram code for the output terminal by searching the "pictogram table". And respond to the user.

The “pictogram table” and “information terminal table” are updated at regular intervals by performing the update process shown in FIG. 14 and accessing and updating the computer terminal 8 of the management center. The data is updated. Specifically, it accesses the computer terminal 8 of the management center periodically and issues an inquiry, and acquires the update time of the “terminal information database” registered in the computer terminal 8. If this time is later than the time managed by the server computer 6, a request message is issued to the computer terminal 8, and the "terminal information table" is downloaded from the computer terminal 8, and the server computer Update the contents registered in step 6.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the content corresponding to the request message from the access user's Internet terminal is provided from the same server computer 6 to the Internet terminal of each carrier company. , When distributing the content, the work of converting the content into a file compatible with the access method of each carrier company and the effort to individually manage the converted files in each format can be greatly reduced. Content can be distributed easily and quickly to more users at low cost. In addition, a single server address (URL) can be used for access from each wireless terminal, ie, a mobile phone terminal. This makes it easy to manage users, and these server addresses (URL) can be used easily. Can be easily understood.

As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described in the above embodiments with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and may be modified or added without departing from the gist of the present invention. Needless to say, this is also included in the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, the server computer 6 describes the content data to be distributed so as to correspond to each of the access methods of the carrier companies A, B, C, and D so as to correspond to each of the access methods. Although the present invention is not limited to this, the present invention is not limited to this, and since there are many types of mobile phone terminals of a single carrier company B, there is a single access method. Only the corresponding server computer may divide the content data into receivable content sizes in various mobile phone terminals and distribute them.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the format of the conversion file converted from the content data registered in the content database is exemplified by the HDML format, the C-HTML format, and the MML format. Without limitation, these file formats may be XHTML format, which is a next-generation file format.

Further, in the present embodiment, the content data registered in the content database is directly converted to each file format, but the present invention is not limited to this. Was once converted to an XML format file as an intermediate file Thereafter, conversion into a file of each desired format may be performed. Explanation of reference numerals

丄 3 Computer terminal

1b, 丄 c 1d mobile phone

2b, 2c 2d base station

3b, 3c 3d Central control station

4 Internet network

5 Distribution Center

6 Computer / Computer

7 Computer terminal (content provider) 8 Computer terminal (administration center)

2 0 Data bus

2 1 Central processing unit (CPU)

2 2 Communication interface

2 3 Display device

2 4 RAM

2 5 Storage

2 6 Real-time clock (RTC)

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. A content providing method for providing content data to an Internet terminal connectable to an Internet network using a server computer connected to the Internet network,

The server computer associates either the type of the Internet terminal or the type of browsing software installed in the Internet terminal with type information that can be specified or estimated, and the Internet terminal is used by the Internet terminal. It has a terminal information database in which at least receivable content size information is registered,

A content size identification step of identifying a content size receivable by the Internet terminal registered in the terminal information database in association with the type information extracted in the extraction step;

Comparing the specified content size with the content size to be distributed based on the request message, and in the comparison, when the content to be distributed is larger than the content size specified in the content size specifying step; A page division step of dividing the content data to be distributed to the specified content size or less;

A distribution step of distributing each of the divided pages for each individual page, at least.

2. The content providing method according to claim 1, wherein, in the page division step, a link display that can be moved to a previous page or a subsequent page by being selected is inserted for each divided page.

3. In the page division step, a break of a predetermined structural element included in the content data to be distributed is searched from the end side of the content data to be distributed, and the page division is performed at the division of the structural element. The content size of the remaining divided pages is determined by the content size specifying step. The content providing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the page division is repeatedly performed until the content size becomes equal to or smaller than the content size specified in (1).

4. The content providing method according to claim 1, wherein the structural element is one of a selection list, a check box, and a table.

5. In the terminal information database, a description format corresponding to the type is registered in association with the type information of the Internet terminal, and the content data to be distributed is specified by the type of the Internet terminal to distribute. 5. The content providing method according to claim 1, further comprising a description format conversion step of converting the content into the description format.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a type information receiving step of distributing and receiving an input screen of the type information to the Internet terminal when the type information cannot be extracted in the extracting step. Content provision method described in.

7. An access step for accessing a management server in which the new terminal information database is registered, and a step in which the terminal information database registered in the management server and the terminal information database held at that time are accessed. An update information comparison step of comparing update information; and a database update step of updating the new terminal information database when the terminal information database registered in the management server is new in the comparison. Item 7. The content providing method according to any one of Items 1 to 6.