Patent Abstract:
A method, device, and data download system for controlling effectiveness of a download transaction. The method includes: resolving, by a download server, a transaction ID generation request from a download portal, dynamically generating a transaction ID according to a current download transaction and sending the transaction ID to the download portal; sending, by the download portal, a download address corresponding to a download content selected by a download client and the transaction ID to the download client; the download client redirecting to the download server according to the download address, and sending a download request containing the transaction ID; and authenticating an identity of the download client and verifying the transaction ID by the download server, if the verification is passed, transferring, by the download server, the corresponding download content to the download client; otherwise, the download fails.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2006/003485, filed Dec. 19, 2006. This application claims the benefit of Chinese Application No. 200610001197.6, filed Jan. 13, 2006. The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to the technical field of network communications and network data transfer technologies, and to a method, a device and a data download system for controlling effectiveness of a download transaction. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    With the development of information technology, people get more and more used to obtaining various data via networks. For example, the content needed is usually downloaded via a data download system. 
         [0004]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , it shows a block diagram of a data download system in the prior art. 
         [0005]    The data download system  100  includes a download client  110 , a download server  120  and a download portal  130 . 
         [0006]    Wherein, download contents (such as music and pictures, etc.) are stored in the download server  120 , and related information, such as the introduction of the download contents, the rate and so on, is presented via the download portal  130 . The corresponding download address of the presented download content in the download server  120  is also stored in the download portal  130 . The download address is usually represented by URL (Uniform Resource Locators). 
         [0007]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , it shows a flow chart of the operation of the data download system shown in  FIG. 1 , which includes the following steps. 
         [0008]    Step S 210 : a download client  110  logs in a download portal  130  and initiates a service browse request. 
         [0009]    Step S 220 : the download portal  130  returns a service browse response, and the download client  110  browses the contents that can be downloaded. 
         [0010]    Step S 230 : after a user selects the content to be downloaded, a download request is sent to the download portal  130 . 
         [0011]    Step S 240 : the download portal  130  informs the download client  110  of the download address of the download content in a download server  120 . 
         [0012]    Step S 250 : the download client  110  redirects the download request according to the download address informed by the download portal  130 . 
         [0013]    Step S 260 : the download server  120  transfers the corresponding download content to the download client  110 . 
         [0014]    Step S 270 : the download client  110  sends a download completion notice to the download server  120  after the content is downloaded. 
         [0015]    Step S 280 : the download server  120  counts the charge of the download. 
         [0016]    In other words, during the operation of the data download system in the prior art, the download client  110  accesses the download portal to view the introduction of the download contents. When the user is interested in a content and the rate of the content is acceptable, the user clicks the download button, and the download portal  130  informs the download client of the static download address of the download content in the download server  120 . The download client  110  may directly access the download server via the static download address, and download the content to the local terminal. At this point, the download server  120  counts the download charge for the download client  110 . 
         [0017]    However, in the data download system and the download process of the prior art, when receiving a content promotion advertisement from a CP (Content Provider), the download client may directly download the content from the download server  120  without going through the download portal  130 , so that the user may be misguided for consumption. 
         [0018]    This is because some CPs send content promotion advertisements to the download client  110  for promoting their download contents, and these advertisements contain the download addresses of the download contents. If the user clicks the address, the content will be downloaded directly from the download server  120 , and the user will be charged. Moreover, some CPs may send false propaganda of contents and rates to the user. Because the download server  120  cannot check the effectiveness of the download addresses, the user may be misguided for consumption. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0019]    In the embodiments, there is provided a method, a device and a data download system for controlling effectiveness of a download transaction, so that the effectiveness of a download transaction may be controlled. 
         [0020]    An embodiment provides a method for controlling the effectiveness of the download transaction, which includes: 
         [0021]    receiving a download request from a download client; wherein the download request contains a download address corresponding to download content selected by the download client and a transaction ID; and 
         [0022]    verifying the transaction ID; 
         [0023]    transferring the download content corresponding to the download address to the download client in response to the pass of the verification. 
         [0024]    An embodiment further provides a data download system, which includes a download server communication with a download client, wherein: 
         [0025]    the download server is adapted to resolve a download request containing a download address and a transaction ID from the download client, verify an identity of the download client and the transaction ID, and transfer a download content corresponding to the download address to the download client if the verification is passed. 
         [0026]    An embodiment provides a data download server, including 
         [0027]    a transaction ID verifying unit, adapted to verify a transaction ID carried in a download request when receiving the download request from the download client; and 
         [0028]    a content downloading unit, adapted to provide the corresponding download content to the download client in response to the pass of the verification. 
         [0029]    An embodiment further provides a data download portal device, which includes: 
         [0030]    a content presentation unit, adapted to present related information of a download content stored in a download server; 
         [0031]    a transaction ID requesting unit, adapted to request a transaction ID from the download server after a user selects the download content; and 
         [0032]    a download address integrating unit, adapted to integrate the transaction ID returned by the download server into a content download address, and send to a download client. 
         [0033]    An embodiment further provides a download client, which is configured to implement a method includes: 
         [0034]    obtaining a transaction ID and a download address corresponding to a download content from a download portal; 
         [0035]    sending a download request containing the download address and the transaction ID to a download server; and obtaining the download content from the download server. 
         [0036]    In the data download system and the method for controlling the effectiveness of the download transaction according to the embodiments, there exists a transaction control mechanism, and the generation, integration, transfer and verification of the transaction ID for the download transaction may be realized by the download server and the download portal, so that the effectiveness of the download transaction may be controlled, and the static download address in the promotion advertisement of a CP is disabled, therefore the user may be prevented from being misguided for consumption. 
         [0037]    In the embodiments, the transaction ID and the corresponding information are encrypted with a digital abstract signature, so that system security may be further improved. 
         [0038]    Additionally, because the transaction ID further corresponds to a time effectiveness parameter and the identity of the download client corresponding to the transaction ID may be authenticated, the transaction ID obtained by some entities via masquerading as a specific download client may be further disabled, so that the overall security of the system may be improved. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0039]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a data download system in the prior art; 
           [0040]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart showing the operation of the data download system of the prior art shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0041]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a data download system according to an embodiment; 
           [0042]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart of the method for controlling the effectiveness of a download transaction according to an embodiment; and 
           [0043]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a data download system according to an embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0044]    For further understanding the principle, the characteristics and the advantages, it will now be described in detail in conjunction with specific embodiments. 
         [0045]    In an embodiment, a download address, to which a dynamic transaction ID (Identity, i.e., Unique Number) is added, is provided to a download client by a download portal, and the download client can only download the content from the download server with a valid dynamic transaction ID. 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , it shows a schematic diagram of a data download system according to an embodiment. 
         [0047]    The data download system includes a download client  310 , a download portal  320  and a download server  330 . 
         [0048]    The download client  310  is adapted to receive the operation instruction from the user, browse related information of the download content and obtain the download address and dynamic transaction ID via the download portal  320 , and obtain the download content from the download server  330 . 
         [0049]    The download portal  320  is adapted to present related information of the download content, obtain the dynamic transaction ID corresponding to the download transaction from the download server  330 , and send the download address and the dynamic transaction ID to the download client  310 . 
         [0050]    The download server  330  is adapted to store the download content, send the dynamic transaction ID to the download portal  320 , verify the dynamic transaction ID from the download client  310 , and provide the download content to the download client  310  after the verification is passed. 
         [0051]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , it shows a flow chart of the method for controlling the effectiveness of a download transaction according to an embodiment. 
         [0052]    S 401 : the download client  310  finds a content to be downloaded, and sends a download request to the download portal  320  for downloading the content. 
         [0053]    S 402 : the download portal  320  sends a dynamic transaction ID request to the download server  330  for applying for a dynamic transaction ID. 
         [0054]    Wherein the dynamic transaction ID request may contain three sets of key parameters: a client number, a transaction type and a time effectiveness parameter. 
         [0055]    S 403 : the download server  330  dynamically generates a transaction ID, and saves one copy locally. In an embodiment, the transaction ID may be encrypted. 
         [0056]    Wherein, the dynamic transaction ID may be generated with various algorithms. For example, incremental algorithm may be employed, i.e., starting from 1, the subsequent transaction IDs are successively 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 . . . , as long as it is ensured that the newly generated ID is different from the previously generated IDs. 
         [0057]    However, more complex transaction ID generation algorithm may also be employed, which will not be described in detail here. 
         [0058]    The dynamic transaction ID generated corresponds to the above three sets of key parameters in the dynamic transaction ID request: the client number, the transaction type and the time effectiveness parameter. 
         [0059]    The transaction ID may be encrypted in various ways. For example, digital abstract signature may be employed. 
         [0060]    Digital abstract signature is a common method for realizing content security, wherein with public key-private key technologies in conjunction with encryption algorithms such as MD5 and so on, secure mutual access between heterogeneous entities under various application models may be realized in an open network. 
         [0061]    A relatively simple mechanism is employed in the digital abstract signature: an irreversible encryption algorithm. After a content is encrypted by such an encryption algorithm, an attacker cannot crack the password even if the cipher key and the cipher text are obtained. The attacker can at best attempt to guess the password, so it is more difficult and takes a longer time to crack the password. As a result, system security may be protected. 
         [0062]    S 404 : the download server  330  issues a dynamic transaction ID response to the download portal  320  and the dynamic transaction ID is carried in the dynamic transaction ID response. 
         [0063]    S 405 : the download portal  320  integrates the transaction ID into the download address, then issues a download response to the download client  310  for informing the download client  310  of the download address. 
         [0064]    Wherein, the process in which the transaction ID is integrated into the download address may be realized in a simple way. For example, the transaction ID string is simply spliced to a URL. 
         [0065]    For example, the static download address is: 
         [0066]    http://www.downloadserver.com/mms/mm001.jpg, 
         [0067]    and the transaction ID generated by the download server  330  and sent to the download portal  320  is 195692146, then the integrated new address is: 
         [0068]    http://www.downloadserver.com/mms/mm001.jpg;transactionID==195692146. 
         [0069]    S 406 : the download client  310  redirects the download address to the download server  330  and requests to download. 
         [0070]    S 407 : the download server  330  authenticates the identity of the download client  310  and verifies the transaction ID. 
         [0071]    The download server  330  authenticates the identity of the download client  310  and verifies the transaction ID in the download address of the download client  310 . 
         [0072]    During the verification, if the transaction ID matches the local copy and the identity of the download client  310  is consistent with the identity of the download client  310  in the copy, the verification is passed. 
         [0073]    S 408 : If the verification is passed, download the content to the download client  310  from the download server  330 . 
         [0074]    S 409 : after the content is downloaded, the download client  310  issues a download completion notice to the download server  330 . 
         [0075]    S 410 : the download server  330  counts the charge of this download. 
         [0076]    In the above embodiments, after a user selects a content to be downloaded, the download portal  320  does not directly inform the download client  310  of the static URL address of the download content. Instead, the download portal  320  first applies to the download server  330  for a dynamic transaction ID. After the download server  330  receives the request, it dynamically generates a transaction ID according to three sets of key parameters (the download client number, the transaction type and the time effectiveness parameter) in the request, and encrypts the transaction ID, then returns the transaction ID to the download portal  320  and saves a copy in the download server  330  locally. The download portal  320  informs the download client  310  after inserting the transaction ID into the download address, and the download client  310  requests to download from the download server  330  based on the download address inserted the transaction ID. The download server  330  authenticates the identity of the download client  310  and verifies the transaction ID in the download address. If the transaction ID matches the local copy and the identity of the download client  310  is consistent with the identity of the download client  310  in the copy, the verification is passed and the download is permitted; otherwise, the verification fails and the download is denied. 
         [0077]    In such a mechanism, the static download address in the promotion advertisement of a CP will be disabled, because the transaction ID verification performed by the download server cannot be passed. 
         [0078]    Even if a few CPs try to first apply for a transaction ID by masquerading as the identities of specific download clients and then to send advertisements of specific purpose, it may fail because of the time effectiveness parameter contained in the transaction ID and the authentication on the identity of the download client performed by the download server. 
         [0079]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , it shows a block diagram of the data download system according to an embodiment. 
         [0080]    The data download system includes a download client  310 , a download portal  320  and a download server  330 , wherein: 
         [0081]    the download portal  320  includes a content presenting unit  321 , a transaction ID requesting unit  322  and a download address integrating unit  323 . 
         [0082]    The content presentation unit  321  is adapted to present related information of download contents stored in the download server  330 . 
         [0083]    The transaction ID requesting unit  322  is responsible for requesting a dynamic transaction ID from the download server  330  after a user selects a download content. 
         [0084]    The download address integrating unit  323  is responsible for integrating the dynamic transaction ID into the content download address after the download server  330  returns the dynamic transaction ID, and then informing the download client  310 . 
         [0085]    The download server  330  includes a transaction ID generating unit  331 , a transaction ID data storing unit  332 , a transaction ID verifying unit  333 , a content downloading unit  334  and a transaction ID time effectiveness maintaining unit  335 . 
         [0086]    The transaction ID generating unit  331  is responsible for dynamically generating a transaction ID and encrypting it when the download server  330  receives a dynamic transaction ID request from the download portal  320 , then returning the transaction ID to the download portal  320  and saving a copy of the transaction ID in the transaction ID data storing unit  332 ; 
         [0087]    The transaction ID verifying unit  333  is responsible for verifying the transaction ID carried in the download instruction when the download server  330  receives the download request from the download client  310 , and during the verification, the local copy saved in the transaction ID data storing unit  332  needs to be accessed; 
         [0088]    The content downloading unit  334  provides the corresponding download content to the download client  310  when the verification on the transaction ID is passed; 
         [0089]    The transaction ID time effectiveness maintaining unit  335  is adapted to maintain the data in the transaction ID data storing unit  332 , wherein the utmost task is to clear outdated transaction IDs. 
         [0090]    The transaction ID time effectiveness maintaining unit  335  may be triggered at scheduled time (for example, once every minute). Each time it is triggered, the whole transaction ID data storing unit  332  will be run over, and each outdated transaction ID will be cleared once it is found. 
         [0091]    In the data download system and the method for controlling the effectiveness of the download transaction described herein, a dynamic transaction control mechanism is added between the download portal and the download server, and the transaction content is encrypted via the digital abstract signature, so that the download address in the promotion advertisement of a CP may be disabled, and the user may be prevented from being misguided by the promotion advertisement of a CP and generating “undeserved” consumption. As a result, benefit of the user may be protected, the probability of user complaints may be reduced, and the Quality of Service of providers may be improved. 
         [0092]    Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the disclosure in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7