Patent ID: 7093016
Filing Date: 2006-08-15
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A network server connected to a terminal device and via prescribed communication means, comprising: receiving means for receiving an authentication request including information for user authentication and information about terminal specification in response to said terminal device detecting insertion of a memory device storing said user authentication information, wherein said memory device is divided into areas designated by a memory map, one of said areas containing personal information relating to a user of the memory device and another of said areas containing each terminal information relating to a specific kind of said terminal device; recording means for recording said user authentication information in said server in association with said information about terminal specification for future communication with said terminal device associated with said information about terminal specification when said user authentication information is authenticated; notice means for notifying when there is information to be transmitted to said terminal device of the presence of the information to be transmitted; and group forming means for forming a group of a plurality of users by producing a group ID in response to a group forming request transmitted by said terminal device, for recording an other terminal device into said group in response to receiving said group ID from said other terminal device, and for transmitting information sent from a user belonging to said group to another user belonging to said group.