Terminal apparatus, information providing system, file accessing method, and data structure

A terminal apparatus to be connected to an information providing server on a network, the apparatus comprising:

• an acquisition unit which acquires address information on a first screen layout file for generating an initial page used to shift to a selection page of a data file and encrypted address information on a second screen layout file for generating the selection page of a data file;
• a memory unit which stores the address information on the first screen layout file and the encrypted address information on the second screen layout file;
• a decoding processor which decodes the address information on the second screen layout file read out from the memory unit by using identification information on the terminal apparatus;
• an input receiver which receives a request for access to the second screen layout file from a user;
• an access address determining unit which determines the address information on the first screen layout file as an address to be accessed, when the decoding processor fails to decode the address information;
• a communication control unit which accesses the determined access address;
• a screen generator which generates a display screen based on the screen layout file received by the communication control unit;
• and
• a screen display unit which displays the generated screen.

An information providing system comprising a terminal apparatus and an information providing server connected via a network, the information providing server including:

• a storage which stores a first screen layout file for generating an initial page used to shift to a selection page of a data file, a second screen layout file for generating the selection page of a data file, and one or more data files;
• and
• a first communication control unit which transmits a file to the terminal apparatus from the storage according to an access from the terminal apparatus, and
• the terminal apparatus including:
• a memory unit which stores the address information on the first screen layout file and the encrypted address information on the second screen layout file;
• a decoding processor which decodes the address information on the second screen layout file read out from the memory unit by using identification information on the terminal apparatus;
• an input receiver which receives a request for access to the second screen layout file from a user;
• an access address determining unit which determines the address information on the first screen layout file as an address to be accessed, when the decoding processor fails to decode the address information;
• and
• a second communication control unit which accesses the determined access address.

A method for accessing a file in an information providing server from a terminal apparatus, the method comprising:

• acquiring address information on a first screen layout file for generating an initial page used to shift to a selection page of a data file;
• acquiring address information on a second screen layout file for generating the selection page of a data file;
• encrypting the address information on the second screen layout file by using identification information on the terminal apparatus;
• storing the address information on the first screen layout file and the encrypted address information on the second screen layout file in a memory unit;
• decoding the address information on the second screen layout file read out from the memory unit by using the identification information on the terminal apparatus;
• receiving a request for access to the second screen layout file from a user;
• determining, as an address to be accessed, either the address information on the first screen layout file or the address information on the second screen layout file according to a result of the decoding;
• and
• accessing the determined access address.

A method for accessing a file in an information providing server from a terminal apparatus, the method comprising:

• acquiring address information on a first screen layout file for generating an initial page used to shift to a selection page of a data file;
• acquiring encrypted address information on a second screen layout file for generating the selection page of a data file;
• storing the address information on the first screen layout file and the encrypted address information on the second screen layout file in a memory unit;
• decoding the address information on the second screen layout file read out from the memory unit by using identification information on the terminal apparatus;
• receiving a request for access to the second screen layout file from a user;
• determining the address information on the first screen layout file as an address to be accessed, when the decoding fails;
• and
• accessing the determined access address.

A computer program product executed by a computer in a terminal apparatus that accesses a file of an information providing server, the program product comprising:

• a module for acquiring address information on a first screen layout file for generating an initial page used to shift to a selection page of a data file;
• a module for acquiring address information on a second screen layout file for generating the selection page of a data file;
• a module for encrypting the address information on the second screen layout file by using identification information on the terminal apparatus;
• a module for storing the address information on the first screen layout file and the encrypted address information on the second screen layout file in a memory unit;
• a module for decoding the address information on the second screen layout file read out from the memory unit by using the identification information on the terminal apparatus;
• a module for receiving a request for access to the second screen layout file from a user;
• a module for determining, as an address to be accessed, either the address information on the first screen layout file or the address information on the second screen layout file according to a result of the decoding by the decoding module;
• and
• a module for accessing the determined access address.

A computer program product executed by a computer in a terminal apparatus that accesses a file of an information providing server, the program product comprising:

• a module for acquiring address information on a first screen layout file for generating an initial page used to shift to a selection page of a data file;
• a module for acquiring encrypted address information on a second screen layout file for generating the selection page of a data file;
• a module for storing the address information on the first screen layout file and the encrypted address information on the second screen layout file in a memory unit;
• a module for decoding the address information on the second screen layout file read out from the memory unit by using identification information on the terminal apparatus;
• a module for receiving a request for access to the second screen layout file from a user;
• a module for determining the address information on the first screen layout file as an address to be accessed, when the decoding module fails to decode the address information;
• and
• a module for accessing the determined access address.

A data structure of a screen layout file for generating a selection page of a data file, the data structure being such that information on an address to be accessed is stored in a memory unit by a computer and the data structure including:

• address information on a screen layout file for generating an initial page, used to shift to the selection page, by a computer;
• address information on one or more data files;
• and
• encryption instruction information which instructs to encrypt the address information on the screen layout file for the selection page and have the encrypted address information stored in the memory unit,
• wherein when it is determined by the computer that the encryption instruction information is contained, the address information on the screen layout file for the selection file is encrypted and
• the encrypted address information and address information on plain text of the screen layout file for the initial page are stored in the memory unit.