Patent ID: 8561156
Filing Date: 2013-10-15
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A server apparatus comprising: a reception unit configured to receive, from an information processing apparatus through a network, pieces of user identification information that uniquely identify respective users, pieces of appliance identification information that uniquely identify respective electronic appliances, and pieces of use permission/prohibition information that represent on a per service type basis whether uses of services are permitted or prohibited; a storage unit configured to store the pieces of use permission/prohibition information, wherein the pieces of use permission/prohibition information are associated with combinations of user identification information and appliance identification information; an acceptance unit configured to accept user identification information, appliance identification information, and service type information from any of the electronic appliances through the network; a determination unit configured to determine whether use of a service represented by the service type information accepted by said acceptance unit is permitted or prohibited based on use permission/prohibition information stored in said storage unit, wherein the use permission/prohibition information is so as to be associated with a combination of the user identification information and the appliance identification information which are accepted by said acceptance unit; transmission unit configured, in a case where it is determined by said determination unit that use of the service represented by the service type information accepted by said acceptance unit is permitted, to transmit screen information for use of the service represented by the service type information to the electronic appliance; and a decision unit that makes a decision as to whether use of a service of a new service type represented by the service type information accepted by said acceptance unit is permitted or prohibited based on a number of usable service types and a number of unusable service types among existing service types represented by pieces of use permission/prohibition information already stored in said storage unit, wherein the pieces of use permission/prohibition information are associated with the user identification information and the appliance identification information which are accepted by said acceptance unit, wherein said storage unit stores use permission/prohibition information representing the decision as to whether use of the service of the new service type is permitted or prohibited, wherein the use permission/prohibition information is associated with the combination of the user identification information and the appliance identification information which are accepted by said acceptance unit.