Accounting apparatus, information receiving apparatus, and communication system
AssigneeBrian L Klock
InventorKEIICHI IWAMURA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A communication system and accounting apparatus are provided capable of easy management of accounting a use of information by a user in multi-media networks while protecting privacy of the user. As a user input money information to an PPC input unit of a user terminal, the money information including cash, a prepaid card, an IC card, and the like, a discrimination unit judges a use permission of provided information in accordance with the money amount indicated by the money information and/or charge information added to the information provided by an information provider. In response to a user permission signal, a signal processing unit processes the provided information and supplies it to the user.
Claims23
An accounting apparatus comprising:
- input means for inputting money information indicating an amount of money;
- and
- judging means for judging the money information input from said input means and outputting a permission signal for permitting a use of information provided by an information provider.
An information receiving apparatus for receiving information provided by an information provider, comprising:
- input means for inputting money information indicating an amount of money;
- and
- judging means for judging the money information input from said input means and outputting a permission signal for permitting a use of information provided by an information provider.
A communication system comprising:
- an information provider terminal for providing information;
- a user terminal for receiving and using information provided by said information provider terminal;
- and
- an accounting unit inputted with money information and having judging means for judging the input money information, and outputting a permission signal for permitting a use of information provided by an information provider.
A device in operation with a terminal from which a user uses information provided from an information provider, comprising:
- means for inputting first data indicating an amount of money;
- means for inputting second data regarding the information provided from the information provider;
- and
- judging means for judging whether a use of the information at the terminal can be permitted or not, in accordance with the first and second data,
- wherein said judging means transmits the judgement result of a use permission to the external of the device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.