Content delivery system where in a content marker information registered by one user may be viewed and/or requested by a user other than a specific user

A content delivery system, comprising an application server system and a connection control system, wherein:

• the connection control system comprises a Core IMS (Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem) processor configured to receive equipment specification information transmitted by user equipment and establish a connection between the application server system and the user equipment based on the received equipment specification information;
• the application server system comprising:
• a media functions processor configured to transmit content data representing content to the user equipment with the connection established by the connection control system;
• a service control functions processor configured to control a service provided by the media functions processor;
• and
• a user profile server functions processor configured to store profile information of a user of the user equipment;
• and
• the application server system further comprising:
• a content marker information accepting processor configured to receive content marker information, which is information transmitted by the user equipment and which is information including content identifier information for identifying content, via the Core IMS processor, thereby accepting the content marker information;
• a content marker information storing processor configured to execute a process of causing the user profile server functions processor or the service control functions processor to store the accepted content marker information;
• a sharing-user identifier information accepting processor configured to receive sharing-user identifier information, which is information transmitted by the user equipment and which is information for identifying a user/users who shares/share the stored content marker information, via the Core IMS processor, thereby accepting the sharing-user identifier information;
• a content marker output request accepting processor configured to receive a content marker output request, which is information transmitted by the user equipment and which is information including user identifier information for identifying a user and requesting for an output of content marker information, via the Core IMS processor, thereby accepting the content marker output request;
• a content marker transmitting processor configured to, based on the user identifier information included in the accepted content marker output request and the accepted sharing-user identifier information, extract content marker information corresponding to the user identifier information from the stored content marker information, and transmit the extracted content marker information to the user equipment having transmitted the content marker output request via the Core IMS processor;
• a content transmitting processor configured to, in the case of receiving a content transmission request, which is transmitted by the user equipment and which includes the content identifier information included in the content marker information and user identifier information for identifying a user of the user equipment, transmit content data representing content identified by the content identifier information to the user equipment;
• a viewing permission information storing processor configured to store the user identifier information, the content identifier information and viewing permission information representing whether to permit transmission of the content data to the user equipment in association with one another;
• and
• a content transmission prohibiting processor configured to, in a case that the viewing permission information stored in association with the user identifier information and the content identifier information that are included in the content transmission request represents non-permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment, prohibit transmission of the content data by the content transmitting processor, wherein
• the content marker transmitting processor is configured to, for each of the extracted content marker information, acquire the viewing permission information stored in association with the user identifier information included in the accepted content marker output request and the content identifier information included in the content marker information, and transmit the content marker information and the acquired viewing permission information in association with each other to the user equipment having transmitted the content marker output request via the Core IMS processor;
• and
• the user equipment includes a content marker list outputting processor configured to receive the content marker information and the viewing permission information, and output content marker information associated with viewing permission information representing permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment among the received content marker information, whereas not output content marker information associated with viewing permission information representing non-permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment among the received content marker information.

A content delivery method, comprising:

• accepting content marker information including content identifier information for identifying content;
• executing a process of causing a storing device to store the accepted content marker information;
• accepting sharing-user identifier information for identifying a user/users who shares/share the stored content marker information;
• receiving a content marker output request, which is transmitted by user equipment, which includes user identifier information for identifying a user and which is a request for an output of content marker information, thereby accepting the content marker output request;
• based on the user identifier information included in the accepted content marker output request and the accepted sharing-user identifier information, extracting content marker information corresponding to the user identifier information from the stored content marker information, and transmitting the extracted content marker information to the user equipment having transmitted the content marker output request;
• in the case of receiving a content transmission request, which is transmitted by the user equipment and which includes the content identifier information included in the content marker information and user identifier information for identifying the user of the user equipment, transmitting content data representing content identified by the content identifier information to the user equipment;
• causing the storing device to store the user identifier information, the content identifier information and viewing permission information representing whether to permit transmission of the content data to the user equipment in association with one another;
• and
• at the time of transmission of the content data to the user equipment, in a case that the viewing permission information stored in association with the user identifier information and the content identifier information that are included in the content transmission request represents non-permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment, not transmitting the content data, wherein
• at the time of transmission of the content marker information, for each of the extracted content marker information, acquiring the viewing permission information stored in association with the user identifier information included in the accepted content marker output request and the content identifier information included in the content marker information, and transmitting the content marker information and the acquired viewing permission information in association with each other to the user equipment having transmitted the content marker output request;
• and
• receiving the content marker information and the viewing permission information, and outputting content marker information associated with viewing permission information representing permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment among the received content marker information, whereas not outputting content marker information associated with viewing permission information representing non-permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment among the received content marker information, by the user equipment.

An application server system having a CPU comprising:

• a content marker information accepting processor configured to accept content marker information including content identifier information for identifying content;
• a content marker information storing processor configured to execute a process of causing a storing device to store the accepted content marker information;
• a sharing-user identifier information accepting processor configured to accept sharing-user identifier information for identifying a user/users who shares/share the stored content marker information;
• a content marker output request accepting processor configured to receive a content marker output request, which is transmitted by user equipment, which includes user identifier information for identifying a user and which is a request for an output of the content marker information, thereby accepting the content marker output request;
• a content marker transmitting processor configured to, based on the user identifier information included in the accepted content marker output request and the accepted sharing-user identifier information, extract content marker information corresponding to the user identifier information from the stored content marker information, and transmit the extracted content marker information to the user equipment having transmitted the content marker output request;
• a content transmitting processor configured to, in the case of receiving a content transmission request that is transmitted by the user equipment and that includes the content identifier information included in the content marker information and the user identifier information for identifying the user of the user equipment, transmit content data representing content identified by the content identifier information to the user equipment;
• a viewing permission information storing processor configured to store the user identifier information, the content identifier information and viewing permission information representing whether to permit transmission of the content data to the user equipment in association with one another;
• and
• a content transmission prohibiting processor configured to, in a case that the viewing permission information stored in association with the user identifier information and the content identifier information that are included in the content transmission request represents non-permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment, prohibit transmission of the content data by the content transmitting processor, wherein
• the content marker transmitting processor is configured to, for each of the extracted content marker information, acquire the viewing permission information stored in association with the user identifier information included in the accepted content marker output request and the content identifier information included in the content marker information, and transmit the content marker information and the acquired viewing permission information in association with each other to the user equipment having transmitted the content marker output request via the Core IMS processor;
• and
• the user equipment includes a content marker list outputting processor configured to receive the content marker information and the viewing permission information, and output content marker information associated with viewing permission information representing permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment among the received content marker information, whereas not output content marker information associated with viewing permission information representing non-permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment among the received content marker information.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing an application server system to execute processing comprising:

• a content marker information accepting processing configured to accept content marker information including content identifier information for identifying content;
• a content marker information storing processing configured to execute a process of causing a storing device to store the accepted content marker information;
• a sharing-user identifier information accepting processing configured to accept sharing-user identifier information for identifying a user/users who shares/share the stored content marker information;
• a content marker output request accepting processing configured to receive a content marker output request, which is transmitted by user equipment, which includes user identifier information for identifying a user and which is a request for an output of the content marker information, thereby accepting the content marker output request;
• a content marker transmitting processing configured to, based on the user identifier information included in the accepted content marker output request and the accepted sharing-user identifier information, extract content marker information corresponding to the user identifier information from the stored content marker information, and transmit the extracted content marker information to the user equipment having transmitted the content marker output request;
• a content transmitting processing configured to, in the case of receiving a content transmission request that is transmitted by the user equipment and that includes the content identifier information included in the content marker information and the user identifier information for identifying the user of the user equipment, transmit content data representing content identified by the content identifier information to the user equipment;
• a viewing permission information storing processing configured to cause the storing device to store the user identifier information, the content identifier information and viewing permission information representing whether to permit transmission of the content data to the user equipment in association with one another;
• and
• a content transmission prohibiting processing configured to, in a case that the viewing permission information stored in association with the user identifier information and the content identifier information that are included in the content transmission request represents non-permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment, prohibit transmission of the content data by the content transmitting processing, wherein
• the content marker transmitting processor is configured to, for each of the extracted content marker information, acquire the viewing permission information stored in association with the user identifier information included in the accepted content marker output request and the content identifier information included in the content marker information, and transmit the content marker information and the acquired viewing permission information in association with each other to the user equipment having transmitted the content marker output request via the Core IMS processor;
• and
• the user equipment includes a content marker list outputting processor configured to receive the content marker information and the viewing permission information, and output content marker information associated with viewing permission information representing permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment among the received content marker information, whereas not output content marker information associated with viewing permission information representing non-permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment among the received content marker information.

User equipment having a CPU comprising:

• a content marker information transmitting processor configured to transmit content marker information including content identifier information for identifying content;
• a sharing-user identifier information transmitting processor configured to transmit sharing-user identifier information for identifying a user/users who shares/share the content marker information;
• a content marker output request transmitting processor configured to transmit a content marker output request that includes user identifier information for identifying a user and that is a request for an output of content marker information;
• a content marker list outputting processor configured to receive the content marker information and output the received content marker information;
• a content marker specification information accepting processor configured to, from among the outputted content marker information, accept content marker specification information for specifying content marker information selected by the user;
• a content transmission request transmitting processor configured to transmit a content transmission request including content identifier information included in content marker information specified by the accepted content marker specification information;
• and
• a content outputting processor configured to receive content data and output content represented by the received content data, wherein
• the content marker list outputting processor is configured to receive the content marker information and viewing permission information representing whether to permit transmission of content data to the user equipment, and output content marker information associated with viewing permission information representing permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment among the received content marker information, whereas not output content marker information associated with viewing permission information representing non-permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment among the received content marker information.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing user equipment to execute processing comprising:

• a content marker information transmitting processing configured to transmit content marker information including content identifier information for identifying content;
• a sharing-user identifier information transmitting processing configured to transmit sharing-user identifier information for identifying a user/users who shares/share the content marker information;
• a content marker output request transmitting processing configured to transmit a content marker output request that includes user identifier information for identifying a user of the user equipment and that is a request for an output of content marker information;
• a content marker list outputting processing configured to receive the content marker information and output the received content marker information;
• a content marker specification information accepting processing configured to, from among the outputted content marker information, accept content marker specification information for specifying content marker information selected by the user;
• a content transmission request transmitting processing configured to transmit a content transmission request including content identifier information included in content marker information specified by the accepted content marker specification information;
• and
• a content outputting processing configured to receive content data and output content represented by the received content data, wherein
• the content marker list outputting processing is configured to receive the content marker information and viewing permission information representing whether to permit transmission of content data to the user equipment, and output content marker information associated with viewing permission information representing permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment among the received content marker information, whereas not output content marker information associated with viewing permission information representing non-permission of transmission of the content data to the user equipment among the received content marker information.