System, method, program and storage medium for providing service

A service providing method for controlling an authentication server shared among a plurality of different applications providing a service by using the WWW, comprising:

• an authentication step for authenticating a user in response to a request from one of said applications;
• a determination step for determining whether an authentication ID associated with a user who succeeded in the authentication is stored in an authentication database, which stores an authentication ID and user's status-of-use information associated with each other, if the authentication succeeded in the authentication step;
• and
• an information step for informing the application, which requested for said user authentication, of user's status-of-use information associated with the stored authentication ID to cause the application to perform a process according to the status-of-use information, if the authentication ID associated with the user is determined to be stored.

A service providing system including a plurality of different applications for providing a service by using the WWW and an authentication server shared among the applications, comprising:

• an authentication means for authenticating a user in response to a request from said applications;
• a determination means for determining whether an authentication ID associated with a user who succeeded in the authentication is stored in an authentication database, which stores an authentication ID and user's status-of-use information associated with each other, if the authentication succeeded by the authentication means;
• and
• an information means for informing the application, which requested for said user authentication, of user's status-of-use information associated with the stored authentication ID to cause the application to perform a process according to the status-of-use information, if the authentication ID associated with the user is determined to be stored.

An authentication server shared among a plurality of different applications providing a service by using the WWW, comprising:

• an authentication means for authenticating a user in response to a request from one of said applications;
• a determination means for determining whether an authentication ID associated with a user who succeeded in the authentication is stored in an authentication database, which stores an authentication ID and user's status-of-use information associated with each other, if the authentication succeeded by the authentication means;
• and
• an information means for informing the application, which requested for said user authentication, of user's status-of-use information associated with the stored authentication ID to cause the application to perform a process according to the status-of-use information, if the authentication ID associated with the user is determined to be stored.

A computer executable service providing program for controlling a service providing system comprising a plurality of different applications providing a service by using the WWW, and an authentication server shared among the applications, comprising a program code for causing said authentication server to execute

• an authentication step for authenticating a user in response to a request from one of said applications;
• a determination step for determining whether an authentication ID associated with a user who succeeded in the authentication is stored in an authentication database, which stores an authentication ID and user's status-of-use information associated with each other, if the authentication succeeded in the authentication step;
• and
• an information step for informing the application, which requested for said user authentication, of user's status-of-use information associated with the stored authentication ID to cause the application to perform a process according to the status-of-use information, if the authentication ID associated with the user is determined to be stored.

A computer executable service providing program for controlling an authentication server shared among a plurality of different applications providing a service by using the WWW, comprising a program code for causing said authentication server to execute

• an authentication step for authenticating a user in response to a request from one of said applications;
• a determination step for determining whether an authentication ID associated with a user who succeeded in the authentication is stored in an authentication database, which stores an authentication ID and user's status-of-use information associated with each other, if the authentication succeeded in the authentication step;
• and
• an information step for informing the application, which requested for said user authentication, of user's status-of-use information associated with the stored authentication ID to cause the application to perform a process according to the status-of-use information, if the authentication ID associated with the user is determined to be stored.

A computer readable storage medium storing a service providing program for controlling a service providing system comprising a plurality of different applications providing a service by using the WWW and an authentication sever shared among the applications, wherein the program comprises a program code for causing said authentication server

• an authentication step for authenticating a user in response to a request from one of said applications;
• a determination step for determining whether an authentication ID associated with a user who succeeded in the authentication is stored in an authentication database, which stores an authentication ID and user's status-of-use information associated with each other, if the authentication succeeded in the authentication step;
• and
• an information step for informing the application, which requested for said user authentication, of user's status-of-use information associated with the stored authentication ID to cause the application to perform a process according to the status-of-use information, if the authentication ID associated with the user is determined to be stored.

A computer readable storage medium storing a service providing program for controlling an authentication server shared among a plurality of different applications providing a service by using the WWW, wherein the program comprises a program code for causing said authentication server

• an authentication step for authenticating a user in response to a request from one of said applications;
• a determination step for determining whether an authentication ID associated with a user who succeeded in the authentication is stored in an authentication database, which stores an authentication ID and user's status-of-use information associated with each other, if the authentication succeeded in the authentication step;
• and
• an information step for informing the application, which requested for said user authentication, of user's status-of-use information associated with the stored authentication ID to cause the application to perform a process according to the status-of-use information, if the authentication ID associated with the user is determined to be stored.