INFORMATION SERVICE SYSTEM AND USER TERMINAL

Abstract: An information providing system according to this invention comprises a center for providing information, and at least one user terminal connected to the center through a predetermined communication network and adapted for accepting offer of information from the center. The user terminal receives information transmitted from the center through the predetermined communication network to display the received information on a display and to store, as past record information, a portion of information received in the past. When user designates desired one of the stored past record information, the user terminal transmits, to the center, an instruction signal for instructing offer of information corresponding to desired past record information. The center receives the instruction signal transmitted from the user terminal to read out information corresponding to the received instruction signal from provided information memory means to transmit it to the user terminal. Thus, user can simply and immediately receive desired information from the center without repeating the operation for selecting item from the menu picture for specifying desired information required in the conventional system.

Description: This invention relates to an information providing system and a user terminal, and more particularly relates to an information providing system and a user terminal suitable when used in the case where, for example, a center for providing information and user terminals are connected through telephone lines to construct, for example, shopping system to retrieve desired information from the center. Background Art Consider, for example, a personal computer communication where a user accesses a data base to retrieve desired data by carrying out retrieval in a hierarchical manner. In such an example, a predetermined menu picture is first transmitted from a center for providing information (hereinafter referred to as an information providing unit) to user terminal equipment. The user then selects an item relating to information to be retrieved from the menu picture. The information providing unit transmits a new menu picture to the user terminal equipment in accordance with the selection. The user then further selects an item relating to desired data from the new menu picture. The user repeats, plural times, such select operations, thus making it possible ultimately to retrieve desired data. In a conventional system, as described above, even if access to the same data had already been provided, access to that desired data had still to be made by repeating, plural times, select operations from the beginning every time using the above procedure. As a result, such an operation was troublesome and inconvenient. In addition, there were problems that the overhead in terms of time required for obtaining desired information was prolonged, and the rental fee for the telephone circuit and/or the data base, etc. becomes expensive. Japanese Laid-Open Patent H-4-238572 is directed to a retrieval communication system with a retrieval terminal and a database interconnected by a network. The database is provided by a retrieval hysteresis storage unit and the database is operable to provide hysteresis referencing and retrieval processing for the transmission of data corresponding to information requested by the terminal. Japanese Laid-Open Patent H-3-22084 is directed to the provision of a menu prepared by a database in response to a user accessing the database and based on the access frequency. The aim of the invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and its object is to provide an information providing system and a user terminal capable of providing access to desired information more quickly and conveniently. Summary of the Invention A first aspect of the invention provides a user terminal supplied with information from an information providing center, the user terminal comprising: receiving means for receiving information transmitted from the information providing center via a communication network; display means for displaying, on a display, an initial menu picture from the information received by the receiving means; past record memory means for storing, as past record information, a portion of the received information, the stored portion including an information ID for the information; designating means responsive to a user designating past record information stored in the past record memory means to retrieve the information ID for the past record information from the past record memory means; and terminal transmitting means for transmitting, to the center, an instruction signal, including the information ID, for information corresponding to the desired past record information. A second aspect of the invention provides a method of recording retrieval information used at a user terminal supplied with information from an information providing center, the method comprising: receiving information transmitted from the information providing center via a communication network; displaying, on a display, an initial menu picture from the received information; storing in memory in the terminal, as past record information, a portion of the received information, the stored portion including an information ID for the information; designating past record information stored in the memory and retrieving the information ID for the past record information from the memory; and transmitting, to the center, an instruction signal, including the information ID, for information corresponding to the desired past record information. An embodiment of the invention comprises a center for providing information, and at least one user terminal according to any of claims 1 to 8 connected to the center through a predetermined communication network and adapted to accept an offer of information from the center. Moreover, the center comprises center receiving means for receiving the instruction signal including an information ID transmitted from the user terminal, provided information memory means for storing information to be offered or provided to the user terminal, and center transmitting means for reading out information corresponding to the information ID received to transmit it to the user terminal. The past record information includes, e.g., information ID included in received information, name of the received information, and the number of receiving times of the received information. The information ID, the name of the information and the number of receiving times are caused to correspond to each other. The user terminal stores past record information into the past record memory means, and increments the number of receiving times when the information ID has been already stored to update past record information. When user designates desired one of the past record information, the user terminal transmits, to the center, an instruction signal for instructing offer of information corresponding to desired past record information. Responding to this, the center reads out information corresponding to the instruction signal from the provided information memory means to transmit it to the user terminal. Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the entire configuration of an information providing system to which this invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of information providing unit of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of user terminal equipment of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a view for explaining format for transmission between the information providing unit and the user terminal equipment of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining actual operation of the information providing system of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of initial menu picture of step 104 of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining past record updating processing of information ID of step 111 of FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is a view showing an example of display of directory of step 202 of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining past record reference processing of step 114 of FIG. 5. FIG. 10 is a view showing an example of display of past record information of step 301 of FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a view showing an example of display of past record information of the step 301 of FIG. 9. FIG. 12 is a view showing an example of display of past record information of the step 301 of FIG. 9. Particular Embodiments of the Invention A preferred embodiment of an information providing system and a user terminal according to this invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the entire flow of information in the information providing system to which this invention is applied. In FIG. 1, a center for providing information (hereinafter referred to as an information providing unit) 1 is a unit for allowing an information providing person (provider) to offer (provide) information to user, and is configured as shown in FIG. 2, for example, in more detail. User terminal equipment 2 is adapted to accept offer of information from the information providing unit 1, and is configured as shown in FIG. 3, for example, in more detail. The information providing unit 1 and the user terminal equipment 2 are connected by way of a predetermined communication network 3, e.g., telephone line or ISDN, etc. so that information can be caused to undergo transmission in a bidirectional fashion. In FIG. 2, a memory unit 11 stores information to be offered to user. A memory unit 12 stores management information of the user such as charging information and/or a telephone number, etc. for every user. An encipherment circuit 16 implements enciphering (cryptographic processing) on information sent out from the information providing unit 1 in accordance with a desired enciphering system, e.g., DES, FIEL, RSA, etc. A converter 17 converts the enciphered information into a predetermined signal suitable for transmission. A communication interface section 18 is an interface section with respect to the communication network 3. An execution program for controlling the operation of the information providing unit 1 and management information for the memory unit 11 are stored in a ROM 15. A RAM 14 stores information indicating the present state. A CPU 13 executes the execution program for the information providing unit. A system bus 19 comprises a data bus, an address bus and a control bus, etc. for connecting respective circuits and/or units. In FIG. 3, a memory unit 40 stores the ID (address) of information received from the information providing unit 1. A decipherment circuit 35 implements deciphering (cryptoanalytic processing) to information sent out from the information providing unit 1. A communication interface section 36 is an interface section with respect to the communication network 3. A RAN 33 stores temporary information of a control program, etc. A ROM 34 stores execution program and management information for the user terminal equipment 2. A CPU 32 executes the execution program for the user terminal equipment. A display circuit 38 implements signal processing of informatior from the information providing unit 1 so that it can be displayed on a display unit 39 such as television monitor, etc. A operation unit 37 is operated by user and serves to carry out an operation to select a desired item from information displayed on the display unit 39, or the like. A system bus 41 comprises a data bus, an address bus and a control bus, etc. for connecting respective circuits and/or units. FIG. 4 shows a format of data in the case where information is transmitted from the information providing unit 1 to the user terminal equipment 2. As shown in this figure, an information header indicating the leading portion of information is allocated to the leading portion, and an information ID (identification) for identifying information is allocated succeedingly or subsequently thereto. Numbers are regularly assigned or allocated to the information ID in accordance with classification of data. As file information, a data name (e.g., name of goods), a preparation date of data, a kind of data (e.g., shopping, video, etc.), a classification of data (e.g., category such as clothes, foods, etc.), a characteristic of data (e.g., information as to whether or not text information, graphic information or moving picture, etc. is included), and a data quantity are allocated. This serves to facilitate retrieval by a user. Namely, user suitably selects and designates predetermined information from a preparation date of data, a kind of data, a classification of data, a characteristic of data and a data quantity, thereby making it possible to select desired information from large number of information. Substantial information to be offered to user are allocated to the area succeeding or subsequent to the file information. An information termination identifier indicating the termination of information is allocated last. Explanation will now be given with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 5 in connection with an operation in which, in the above-mentioned information providing system, a user provides an access to the information providing unit 1 through the user terminal equipment 2 to retrieve desired information. Initially, at step 101, a user carries out line connection processing. Namely, when the user operates the operation unit 37 of the user terminal equipment 2 shown in FIG. 3 to instruct access to the information providing unit 1, the CPU 32 controls the communication interface section 36 to allow it to execute the line connection processing. When a command (instruction) from the CPU 32 is received, the communication interface section 36 reads out a telephone number of the information providing unit 1 stored in advance in the memory unit 40 to start a calling operation with respect to that telephone number. When the information providing unit 1 responds to this calling operation, the processing operation proceeds to step 102. Thus, the CPU 32 executes transmitting processing of user ID standardized by the ISDN. Namely, the CPU 32 uses user/user information within the call setting message to transmit a user ID and password to the information providing unit 1 through the communication interface section 36. When the information providing unit 1 receives the user ID through the communication interface section 18 shown in FIG. 2, it executes certification processing of the user at step 103. Namely, the CPU 13 of the information providing unit 1 retrieves user management information from the memory unit 12 on the basis of the user ID and the password which have been received to judge whether or not the user of the user ID is the normal user. In the case of access from the normal user, the CPU 13 transmits initial menu picture data to the user terminal equipment 2 through the communication interface section 18. When the user terminal equipment 2 receives the initial menu picture data through the communication interface section 36, it outputs that data to the display unit 39 through the display circuit 38 to allow the display unit 39 to display such picture data. Namely, the CPU 32 of the user terminal equipment 2 executes the initial menu picture receiving processing of step 104 and the initial menu picture display processing of step 105. Thus, the initial menu picture image is displayed on the display unit 39 as shown in FIG. 6, for example. The processing operation then proceeds to step 106. Thus, the CPU 32 judges whether or not a command (instruction) indicative of reference to a past record is inputted. In the case where such a command is not inputted, the processing operation proceeds to step 107 to execute information retrieval processing. Namely, when a user operates the operation unit 37 to instruct retrieval of information of shopping from the menu of FIG. 6, for example, the CPU 32 notifies the information providing unit 1 that retrieval of shopping information has been selected. When the CPU 13 of the information providing unit 1 receives this notice, it transmits data of the menu picture image of information relating to shopping stored in the memory unit 11 to the user terminal equipment 2. When the CPU 32 of the user terminal equipment 2 accepts an offer of this information (step 108), it allows the display unit 39 to display such information thereon (step 109). Thus, for example, a list of goods that user desires to purchase is displayed. When user selects, for example, clothes from the display, that select: signal is transmitted to the information providing unit 1. When the CPU 13 of the information providing unit 1 receives an input of a select command for clothes, it reads out data of a menu picture relating to the clothes from the memory unit 11 to transmit it to the user terminal equipment 2. When the CPU 32 of the user terminal equipment 2 accepts an offer of data of a menu picture image for selecting the clothes, it allows the display unit 39 to display such picture data thereon. Thus, further detailed select items, such as, for example, lady's clothes, gentleman's clothes, and children's clothes, etc. are displayed. Thus, a user further selects a desired item from the further detailed select items. It should be noted that when delivering such information to the user terminal equipment 2, the information providing unit 1 enciphers (encodes) that data using the encipherment circuit 16 for transmitting it. In the user terminal equipment 2, the data thus enciphered is deciphered (decoded) at the decipherment circuit 35 to allow the display unit 39 to display it thereon. In a manner as stated above, the processing operations of steps 107 to 110 are repeatedly executed until the user selects desired goods. When the user ultimately selects the desired goods, he operates the operation unit 37 to instruct completion of selection of that article. When it is judged at step 110 that such command has been inputted, the processing operation proceeds to step 111. Thus, the CPU 32 of the user terminal equipment 2 executes past record updating processing of an information ID. The detail of the past record updating processing of the information ID is shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7. Initially, the CPU 32 of the user terminal equipment 2 judges at step 201 whether or not command designating directory of goods (article) ultimately selected is inputted. Namely, in the case where a user desires to register information about goods which has been accessed now into the category (directory) in this manner, he can register that directory. In this case, the user operates the operation unit 37 to instruct designation of the directory. When designation of the directory is inputted, the processing operation proceeds to step 202. Thus, the CPU 32 reads out the directory already registered from the memory unit 40 to allow the display unit 39 to display it thereon. Thus, the directcries already registered are displayed on the display unit 39 as shown in FIG. 8, for example. In the example of display of FIG. 8, four directories of D1 to D4 are displayed. The user judges at step 203 whether or not there exists directory caused to correspond to the article (goods) which has been selected now from these directories. In the case where the directory which allows the information which has been accessed now to correspond thereto does not exist in the already registered (displayed) directories, the processing operation proceeds to step 204. Thus, the user operates the operating unit 37 to input name of a directory newly supplemented. When the CPU 32 receives input of this name, it allows the memory unit 40 to register that name as a name of the new directory at step 205. Then, the processing operation returns to the step 202 for a second time. As a result, the registered directories are displayed. Thus, the directory supplemented at the step 204 is displayed on the display unit 39. On the other hand, in the case where the directory corresponding to information which has been accessed exists in the directeries displayed on the display unit 39, the user operates the operation unit 37 to designate that directory at step 206. The CPU 32 allows the memory unit 40 to register, at step 207, an ID corresponding to the information ultimately selected in correspondence with the directory designated at step 206. Moreover, at this time, the CPU 32 carries out retrieval as to whether or not the same ID has been already registered in the memory unit 40. In the case where the same ID is registered, the number of receiving times thereof is incremented by 1. Further, the number of receiving times (operations) is also registered into the memory unit 40. In the case where is it judged by user at the step 201 that there is no need to designate the directory, the processing operations of steps 202 to 206 are skipped. Thus, the processing of the step 207 is immediately executed. In a manner as described above, the ID of information which have been accessed in the past and the number of receiving times thereof are suitably registered into the memory unit 40 as a past record of the information ID in correspondence with the directories. After the past record updating processing of the information ID is carried out in a manner as described above, the processing operation proceeds to step 112 of FIG. 5. Thus, whether or not completion of shopping is instructed can be judged. In the case where completion (end) is not instructed, the processing operation returns to the step 104. As a result, the initial menu picture image is displayed. Thus, similar processing is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, in the case where the user completes access, he operates the operation unit 37 to instruct the CPU 32 to carry out completion of the access. At this time, processing operation proceeds to step 113. Thus, the CPU 32 controls the communication interface section 36 to open connection with respect to the information providing unit 1 to complete the processing. It is to be noted in the case where it is judged at the step 103 that the current access is not an access from a normal user, the processing operation immediately proceeds to the step 113. Thus, disconnection/opening processing is executed. In the case where, as described above, a user carries out access to the information providing unit 1 to attempt to provide, for a second time, access to information which has been accessed in the past, even once, he selects the item of reference to the past record in the initial menu picture display state shown in FIG. 6. At this time, the processing operation proceeds from the step 106 to step 114 of FIG. 5. Thus, past record reference processing is executed. The detail of the past record reference processing is shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9. Namely, when command (instruction) indicative of a reference to a past record is inputted from the operation unit 37, the CPU 32 of the user terminal equipment 2 executes display processing of past record information at step 301. Thus, a past record (list) of a data name corresponding to the information ID stored in the memory unit 40 is read out, and is displayed on the display unit 39 through the display circuit 38. At this time, the CPU 32 carries out a control, as shown in FIG. 10 for example, so that the directories registered by the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7 are displayed in order cf higher frequency of accessing (the number of receiving times). The directories D1 to D4 shown in FIG. 10 are registered in order of D1 to D4 as shown in FIG. 8. In this case, however, since the access frequencies subsequent thereto are adapted to be in order of D3, D2, D4, D1, directories are displayed in this order. At step 201 of FIG. 7, in the case where a user does not designate a directory, past records are displayed every data name, kind of data, classification of data, characteristic of data and delta quantity which have been described as the file information of FIG. 4. Then, the processing operation proceeds to step 302 of FIG. 9. This, a user carries out a designation of information. Namely, user operates the operation unit 37 to select a directory to be accessed from now on in the state where directories to which information that user has accessed in the past belong are displayed on the display unit 39 as shown in FIG. 10, for example. When a desired directory is selected, the CPU 32 reads out, from the memory unit 40, a list of information (data name) belonging to that directory to allow the display unit 39 to display it thereon. When the user selects the directory D3 in the state shown in FIG. 10, for example, information which belongs to the directory D3 and has been accessed in the past is displayed as shown in FIG. 11. Also in this case, respective sets of information are displayed in order of higher access frequency. In the embodiment of FIG. 11, information sets B, C, A (data names) are displayed as information which belong to the directory D3 and have been accessed in the past. In this case, however, since the information B has the highest access frequency, and the information C and A have access frequencies lower than that of the information B in the recited order, information B, information C and information A are displayed in order as shown in FIG. 11. While these information are registered into the memory unit 40 in order of information A, information B and information C as order of registration, in the case where information (access) frequencies are the same, the display is carried out from the latest information as shown in FIG. 12, for example. The user repeats a similar operation at step 302 until information to be accessed from now on is displayed on the display unit 39. When the designation of information is ultimately carried out, the processing operation proceeds to step 303. Thus, the CPU 32 retrieves information ID of the designated information from the memory unit 40. Namely, since past records of information IDs of information accessed in the past are registered in the memory unit 40 at the step 207 of FIG. 7 as described above, the information ID of the designated information is retrieved therefrom. At step 304, this information ID is transmitted (sent out) to the information providing unit 1. When the CPU 13 of the information providing unit 1 receives the information ID, it reads out information corresponding to the information ID from the memory unit 11 to transmit it to the user terminal equipment 2. The CPU 32 of the user terminal equipment 2 receives information transmitted from the information providing unit 1 at step 305, and allows the display unit 39 to display it thereon at step 306. When any one of information which were accessed in the past is designated in this way, the operation for accepting an offer of that information is automatically carried out. For this reason, the user can immediately accept an offer of desired information. Subsequently, at step 307, whether or not the completion of past record reference processing is instructed is judged. In the case where the instruction of completion is not inputted, the processing operation returns to the step 301. Thus, the above-described operation is repeatedly executed. In the case where completion of the past record reference processing is instructed by operating the operation unit 37, the CPU 32 completes the past record reference processing. Thereafter, the processing operation returns to step 111 of FIG. 5. Thus, the past record updating processing of the information ID is executed. In the case where an access to the information which has been accessed in the past is made for a second time as stated above, the user only designates corresponding information from the list of the information, thereby making it possible automatically to accept the offer of that information. For this reason, the user can conveniently order goods regularly required in the case of, e.g., on line shopping, etc., or the like. While explanation has been given by the example of on line shopping in the above-described embodiment, this invention can be applied to the case where user accepts offer of video information of movie or game. Industrial Applicability As described above, in accordance with the information providing system of this invention, a past record of information received from the center is stored, whereby when a predetermined one of the stored past records is designated, the center is instructed to provide information corresponding to the designated past record. Accordingly, there results less overhead for accepting offer of predetermined information, thus making it possible immediately to accept an offer of information. In addition, e.g., the rental fee for the telephone circuit and/or the data base of the center can be reduced as compared to the conventional system.

Claims: A user terminal supplied with information from an information providing center, the user terminal comprising: receiving means for receiving information transmitted from the information providing center via a communication network; display means for displaying, on a display, an initial menu picture from the information received by the receiving means; past record memory means for storing, as past record information, a portion of the received information, the stored portion including an information ID for the information; designating means responsive to a user designating past record information stored in the past record memory means to retrieve the information ID for the past record information from the past record memory means; and terminal transmitting means for transmitting, to the center, an instruction signal, including the information ID, for information corresponding to the desired past record information. A user terminal according to claim 1, wherein the past record information includes the number of times the received information has been received as well as the information ID. A user terminal according to claim 2, comprising past record updating means for updating the information ID and the number of times in the past record information. A user terminal according to claim 3, wherein the past record updating means comprises: means for determining whether or not the information ID has been already registered in the past record memory means; and means for incrementing the number of times where it is determined that the information ID has been already registered. A user terminal according to claim 4, wherein the past record updating means comprises means for newly registering the information ID with a number of times equal to 1 into an area of the past record memory means where the information ID is not registered in the past record memory means. A user terminal according to claim 5, where the area is designateable by a user. A user terminal according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the past record information is stored in a directory. A user terminal as set forth in claim 5, wherein the display means is operable to display past record information in order of the number of times the received information has been received. An information providing system comprising: a center for providing information; and at least one user terminal according to any preceding claim connected to the center via a communication network, wherein the center comprises: center receiving means for receiving an instructional signal including an information ID transmitted from the user terminal; information memory means for storing information to be offered or provided to the user terminal; and center transmitting means for reading out from the information memory means information corresponding to the information ID received to transmit to the user terminal. A method of recording retrieval information used at a user terminal supplied with information from an information providing center, the method comprising: receiving information transmitted from the information providing center via a communication network; displaying, on a display, an initial menu picture from the received information; storing in past record memory in the terminal, as past record information, a portion of the received information, the stored portion including an information ID for the information; designating past record information stored in the past record memory and retrieving the information ID for the past record information from the past record memory; and transmitting, to the center, an instruction signal, including the information ID, for information corresponding to the desired past record information. A method according to claim 10, wherein the past record information includes the number of times the received information has been received as well as the information ID. A method according to claim 11, comprising updating the information ID and the number of times in the past record information. A method according to claim 12, comprising: determining whether or not the information ID has been already registered in the past record memory means; and incrementing the number of times where it is determined that the information ID has already been registered. A method according to claim 13, comprising: newly registering the information ID with a number of times equal to 1 into an area of the memory where the information ID is not registered in the past record memory means. A method according to claim 14, wherein the area is designated by the user. A method according to claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the past record information is stored in a directory. A method according to claim 15, wherein past record information is displayed in order of the number of times the received information has been received. A method for registering retrieval information used in a user terminal according to any of claims 1 to 8, for receiving the information transmitted from an information furnishing device, the method comprising: performing connection processing for the information furnishing device; receiving an initial menu picture from said information furnishing device; commanding retrieval of the desired information from the initial menu picture to said information furnishing device; and accessing the desired information when the desired information is retrieved; receiving an information discriminating ID of the information; discriminating the presence or absence of designation of a directory registered in said user terminal; displaying an already registered directory on display means if said directory has been designated; designating a directory of the displayed directories to which is associated the accessed information; and registering the information identification ID of the accessed information in the specified directory wherein: if there is a directory designation and there is no directory in the displayed directories to which is associated the accessed information, the name of a newly added directory can be inputted and registered; and if there is no directory designation, the information identification ID is registered.

Inventors: KURIHARA AKIRA, KURIHARA, AKIRA
Applicants: SONY CORP, SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1995
Main classification: G06F17
IPC codes: H04H1, H04N7, G06F17, G06Q30