Patent ID: 7475121
Filing Date: 2009-01-06
Classification: G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. An information distribution apparatus for mediating distribution of information received from a sending apparatus of a sender and distributed to a receiving apparatus of a receiver, comprising: a sending/receiving control part conducting communication via a network with the sending apparatus and the receiving apparatus; a distribution rank storage part storing a distribution rank selected in advance by the receiver, before receiving distribution information from the sender, with respect to the distribution information from the sender, among distribution ranks defining distribution conditions containing designation of a summarization degree of distribution information in a plurality of levels; a distribution information storage part storing an original of distribution information received from the sending apparatus; a summarization processing part, when receiving a request for distribution of stored distribution information received from the sending apparatus through the sending/receiving control part, obtaining from the distribution rank storage part a distribution rank previously selected by the receiver of the stored distribution information and selected based on its correspondence to the sender of the distribution information, conducting summarization processing of the distribution information stored in the distribution information storage part in accordance with designation of a summarization degree corresponding to the distribution rank obtained and giving the distribution information, after processing by the summarization processing part, to the sending/receiving control part to distribute the distribution information to the receiving apparatus; an image information generating part adding, to each distribution information, screen definition information of a rank setting screen allowing a receiver to input the distribution rank by selection, or access information to the rank setting screen; and a distribution rank updating part updating the distribution rank stored in the distribution rank storage part, based on an input distribution rank which a receiver inputs by selection on the rank setting screen regarding the distribution information upon receiving the distribution information, wherein the summarizing of the distribution information further comprises extracting at least a portion of the distribution information according to the distribution rank.