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Software Patent Abstract
Software for operating a digital camera is installed in a personal
computer. The software takes out a serial number of the digital
camera, which is connected to the personal computer, when firstly
booted. The serial number is sent to a server via the internet.
The server checks the received serial number against ledger data.
When the received serial number is not registered, this serial number
is recorded in the ledger data. The server charges a dealer a royalty
of the software in accordance with a user number counted every predetermined
period. The dealer requests a monetary facility to transfer the
royalty of the software to an account of a right holder of the software.
Software Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A count system for counting one of a number of a plurality of
peripheral devices and a user-number of application software associated
with said peripheral devices, at least one of said peripheral devices
being connected to a personal computer and at least one of said
application software being installed in said personal computer,
said count system comprising: serial-number sending means incorporated
in each said application software, said serial-number sending means
taking a serial number of said respective associated peripheral
device and transferring said serial number via the internet connected
to said personal computer; a server connected to the internet; and
registration software installed in said server, said registration
software receiving the transferred serial number to check this number
with registered serial numbers, and said registration software registering
the transferred serial number and incrementing one of a count of
the number of said peripheral devices having an associated installed
application software and the user-number count of said application
software, wherein said serial-number sending means transfers said
serial number whenever said peripheral device having said serial
number is connected to said respective personal computer, wherein
a plurality of right holders distribute respective kinds of application
software, said server relates said count with an identifier of a
right holder of a respective kind of application software and maintains
said count-identifier relationship, wherein said plurality of right
holders are different software developing companies.
2. A count system according to claim 1, wherein said serial-number
sending means transfers said serial number without confirmation
for the user.
3. A count system according to claim 1, wherein said serial-number
sending means executes a warning process suggesting either of connection
to the internet and user registration by a mail, when said personal
computer is incapable of connecting to the internet.
4. A count system according to claim 1, wherein said serial-number
sending means saves a transmission-history of said serial number
and is prevented from doubly registering said serial number.
5. A count system according to claim 1, wherein said serial number
sending means transfers said serial number whenever said respective
associated application software is booted.
6. A count system according to claim 1, where in incrementing said
one of a count of a usage number of said peripheral devices and
a user-number count of said associated application software, said
serial-number sending means transferring said serial number of one
of said plurality of peripheral devices every predetermined count
N (N is an integer greater than zero) that said respective associated
application software for the one peripheral device is booted.
7. A count system according to claim 1, where in incrementing one
of said count of a usage number of said peripheral devices and a
user-number count of said associated application software, said
serial-number sending means transferring said serial number upon
reaching a predetermined number N (N is an integer greater than
zero) that the respective associated application software for the
one of said peripheral devices has been booted.
8. A count system according to claim 1, wherein said server further
calculates a royalty in accordance with one of the count of the
number of said peripheral devices and said user-number count.
9. A count system according to claim 1, wherein said server relates
said count with an identifier for a right holder of said application
software and maintains said count-identifier relationship.
10. A count system according to claim 9, wherein said right holder
is a software developing company.
11. A royalty settling system for settling a royalty in accordance
with a user-number count of application software associated with
a plurality of peripheral devices, one or more of which are connected
to a respective personal computer, at least one said application
software being installed in said respective personal computer, said
royalty settling system comprising: serial-number sending means
incorporated in each said application software, said serial-number
sending means taking a serial number of said respective associated
peripheral device and transferring said serial number via the internet
connected to said personal computer; a server connected to the internet;
and registration software installed in said server, said registration
software receiving the transferred serial number to check this number
with registered serial numbers, and said registration software registering
the transferred serial number and incrementing said user-number
count of said application software, wherein said serial-number sending
means transfers said serial number whenever said peripheral device
having said serial number is connected to said respective personal
computer, wherein a plurality of right holders distribute respective
kinds of application software, said server relates said count with
an identifier of a right holder of a respective kind of application
software and maintains said count-identifier relationship, wherein
said plurality of right holders are different software developing
companies.
12. A royalty settling system according to claim 11, wherein said
server is set up at a side of a right holder of said application
software, said server having a function that a bill of said royalty
is automatically issued to a dealer of said peripheral device.
13. A royalty settling system according to claim 12, wherein said
server transfers a sum corresponding to the royalty of said user-number
count, from an account of a monetary facility of said dealer, said
server notifying said dealer about the transfer of the sum.
14. A royalty settling system according to claim 11, wherein said
server is set up at a side of a dealer of said peripheral device,
said server having a function that said user-number count is automatically
notified to a right holder of said application software.
15. A royalty settling system according to claim 14, wherein said
server automatically transfers a sum corresponding to the royalty
of said user-number, from an account of a monetary facility of said
dealer to an account of a monetary facility of said right holder.
16. A royalty settling system according to claim 11, wherein said
server is owned by a provider of the internet, said server having
a function that said user-number count is automatically notified
to both of a dealer of said peripheral device and a right holder
of said application software.
17. A royalty settling system according to claim 16, wherein said
right holder charges a sum corresponding to the royalty of said
user-number count for said dealer, and said dealer transfers said
sum to said right holder.
18. A royalty settling system according to claim 11, wherein said
server relates said count with an identifier of a right holder of
said application software and maintains the count-identifier relationship,
and initiates a payment process for payment of royalty to said right
holder based on said user-number count of said application software
and the identifier of the right holder.
19. A royalty settling system according to claim 18, wherein said
right holder is a software developing company.
20. A royalty settling system according to claim 11, wherein a
plurality of right holders distribute respective kinds of application
software, said server relates said count with an identifier for
a right holder of a respective kind of application software, and
initiates a payment process for payment of royalty to each said
right holder based on said user-number count of said respective
kind of application software and said identifier of the right holder.
21. A royalty settling system according to claim 20, wherein said
plurality of right holders are different software developing companies.
Mobile Phone Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a count system for counting a
number of peripheral devices connected to a personal computer and
for counting a user-number of software installed in the personal
computer, further, the present invention relates to a royalty settling
system for settling a royalty in accordance with the counted number.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital camera and so forth are connected to a personal computer
as a peripheral device to which application software (hereinafter
called as software) pertains to be used for the peripheral device.
This kind of the software is not always produced by a manufacturer
of the peripheral device. Some of the software are supplied from
a personal software developer and a software developing company.
A manufacturer of the peripheral device pays a royalty to a right
holder of the software when receiving the software from the outside
thereof. Payment ways of the royalty are different dependently on
contractual matter. For example, a sum is paid in accordance with
a number of the sold peripheral devices, and the royalty is paid
in accordance with a number of the software for which user registration
is completed.
In the case that the royalty is paid in accordance with the sold
number, a number of products existing in distribution is also counted
so that the royalty is likely to be overly paid rather than the
actual sold number. Moreover, not all users having purchased the
peripheral device use the software pertaining thereto. Hence, the
manufacturer of the peripheral device loses on a profit.
In the system that the royalty is paid in accordance with the number
of the software for which the user registration is completed, it
takes time for the user to perform the procedure of the user registration.
Further, some users use the software without the user registration
so that the right holder loses on a profit.
In order to solve the above problems, it is proposed in Japanese
Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 7-219763 that a number of users
is counted when the software is booted, by utilizing an identification
number of a personal computer in which the software is installed.
However, when the sole user operates a plurality of personal computers,
the user registration is performed plural times so that it is impossible
to correctly count the number of users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present
invention to provide a count system for correctly counting a number
of peripheral devices.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a count
system for correctly counting a user-number of software installed
in a personal computer.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide a royalty
settling system for smoothly settling a loyalty in accordance with
a number of peripheral devices and a user-number of software installed
in a personal computer.
In order to achieve the above and other objects, the count system
according the present invention comprises software installed in
the personal computer connected to the peripheral device. When the
software is booted, a serial number of the peripheral device is
taken out therefrom and is sent via the internet connected to the
personal computer. The sent serial number is received by a server
connected to the internet. The server checks the received serial
number with the registered serial numbers. When the received serial
number is not registered, the server registers this number in ledger
data to increase the counted number.
It is preferable that the serial number is prevented from being
doubly sent. However, the serial number may be sent whenever the
peripheral device is connected to the personal computer or whenever
the software installed in the personal computer is used. Alternatively,
a usage number of the peripheral device or the software may be counted,
and the serial number may be sent every predetermined usage number.
Further, the serial number may be sent only when the usage number
has reached a specific number.
In a case that a server owned by a right holder of the software
is used as the above-mentioned server, the server is preferable
to have a function that a bill of a royalty is issued for a dealer
of the peripheral device in accordance with the counted number.
In a case that a server of the dealer is used as the foregoing
server, the server is preferable to have a function that the counted
number is notified to the right holder, and a royalty sum is automatically
transferred to an account of the right holder registered in advance.
In a case that a server owned by a provider of the internet is
used as the foregoing server, the counted number is notified to
both of the right holder and the dealer of the peripheral device.
According to the count system of the present invention, the serial
number of the peripheral device is automatically registered by the
software installed in the personal computer so that the number of
the peripheral devices and the user-number of the software can be
correctly counted. Moreover, the serial number is prevented from
being doubly registered and from being mistakenly registered due
to server stoppage. Thus, the number of the peripheral devices and
the user-number of the software may be correctly known.
Further, by changing the timing for sending the serial number,
it is possible to judge whether the software is always used or not.
Furthermore, the royalty is paid relative to the number of the
actually used software so that the transfer of the royalty is correctly
performed. Meanwhile, in association with the counted number, the
royalty is automatically charged and transferred. Also, the receipt
of the royalty is automatically issued. Thus, the royalty settling
process is prevented from becoming a complicated process so that
the cost required for this process may be reduced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above objects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a structure of a count system
and a royalty settling system according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a structure of a personal computer
and a server;
FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a process for sending a serial number;
FIG. 4 is an explanatory illustration showing an example of ledger
data of the serial numbers;
FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a process for registering the serial
number;
FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a process for settling a loyalty;
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a structure of the royalty settling
system in a case that transfer of the royalty is requested by a
right holder of software;
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a structure of the royalty settling
system in a case that a dealer of a peripheral device registers
the serial number and settles the royalty; and
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a structure of the royalty settling
system in a case that the serial number is registered by a server
of a provider.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a count system
and a royalty settling system according to the present invention.
These systems are constituted of the internet 2, personal computers
3.sub.1 to 3n connected to the internet 2, and a server 4.
As shown in FIG. 2, the personal computer 3 comprises a CPU 6,
an operating system 7 operated by the CPU 6, an I/F circuit 8 controlled
by the operating system 7 and connected to various devices, and
a modem 9 for connecting to a wide-area network of the internet
and so forth by utilizing a telephone line. The I/F circuit 8 is
connected to an input device 10, a monitor 11, a digital camera
12, and so forth. The input device 10 includes a keyboard and a
mouse used for operating the personal computer 3. The monitor 11
displays a picture for operating the personal computer 3. The digital
camera 12 is used by connecting with the personal computer 3.
The digital camera 12 is sold as one of peripheral devices of the
personal computers 3. A package of the digital camera 12 includes
software besides the digital camera itself. The software is installed
in the personal computer 3 and is used in cooperation with the digital
camera 12. The software 14 pertaining to the digital camera 12 is
supplied from a software maker to a dealer being as a manufacturer
of the digital camera 12. In accordance with a user number of the
pertaining software, a royalty is paid from the dealer to a right
holder of the software. By the way, the software is not exclusive
to that pertaining to the peripheral device. The software may be
separately sold from the peripheral device. Moreover, the software
may be downloaded via a network.
The software 14 pertaining to the digital camera 12 includes a
serial-number sending section 16 to be operated in the background
of the software. As shown in FIG. 3, the serial-number sending section
16 is installed in the personal computer 3 together with the software
14 pertaining to the digital camera 12. When the software 14 is
booted, the digital camera 12 is accessed via the operating system
7 and the I/F circuit 8 to obtain a serial number, which is stored
in an EEPROM of the digital camera for example.
The serial-number sending section 16 having obtained the serial
number of the digital camera 12 activates the modem 9 via the operating
system 7 to connect the personal computer 3 to the internet 2 via
the telephone line. Upon connecting the personal computer 3 to the
internet, the serial-number sending section 16 transmits the obtained
serial number to the server 4, which is assigned in advance. A sending
process of the serial number is automatically executed without asking
a user about the execution of the sending process.
When the transmitted serial number is received by the server 4,
a completion signal is sent from the server 4 to the personal computer
3. Upon receiving the completion signal, the serial-number sending
section 16 makes data of transmission history and saves this data.
After that, the connection to the internet 2 is cut off.
When the software 14 is booted from the next time downward, the
transmission-history data is confirmed. When the transmission-history
data exists, connection to the internet is not carried out. In the
meantime, when the server 4 is stopped and the serial number of
the digital camera 12 is not received thereby, the completion signal
is not sent to the personal computer 3. In this case, the transmission-history
data is not made. Thus, when the software 14 is booted next, the
serial number is transmitted to the server again.
When the personal computer 3 does not have a function for connecting
to the internet 2, the serial-number sending section 16 executes
a warning process for the user. As to the warning process, a message
is displayed on the monitor 11 to suggest that environment of the
personal computer 3 should be arranged so as to be capable of connecting
to the internet. Alternatively, another message is displayed on
the monitor 11 to suggest that the user registration should be completed
by mail or facsimile.
The server 4 is managed by the right holder 18 of the software
14 used for the digital camera 14. The server 4 has a similar structure
to the personal computer 3, and comprises a CPU 20, a server operating
system 21 operated by the CPU 20, and a line I/F 22 for connecting
to the wide-area network of the internet 2 and so forth. In the
server 4, are installed serial-number registering software 23 and
royalty settling software 24.
The serial-number registering software 23 makes ledger data 26
in which the registered serial numbers are entered such as shown
in FIG. 4. The ledger data 26 includes a reception date, request
of the royalty, and so forth, which are recorded so as to correspond
to the serial number.
When the serial number is received from the personal computer 3
via the line I/F 22, the serial-number registering software 23 checks
the ledger data 26 to confirm whether the received serial number
is registered or not, such as shown in FIG. 5. When the received
serial number is not registered, this serial number is newly recorded
in the ledger data 26 together with the data pertaining thereto.
After revising the ledger data 26, the completion signal is sent
to the personal computer 3. Meanwhile, when the received serial
number is registered, the completion signal is sent to the personal
computer 3 without registering the serial number.
In this way, the received serial number is always checked against
the ledger data 26. Thus, the serial number is prevented from being
doubly registered, even if the sole user installs the software in
a plurality of the personal computers. Consequently, the royalty
sum of the software is not affected.
As shown in FIG. 6, the royalty settling software 24 automatically
counts a number of users for whom the royalty is not yet settled,
every predetermined period, for instance every month. Successively,
the royalty settling software 24 makes a bill in which the royalty
sum is entered. The bill is sent to a server managed by the dealer
28 of the digital camera, by utilizing the internet 2, a private
line, and so forth.
Upon receiving the bill sent from the right holder 18, the server
of the dealer 28 automatically requests a monetary facility 30,
by utilizing the internet 2, a private line, and so forth, to transfer
the royalty sum. The requested monetary facility 30 transfers the
royalty sum to a bank account of the right holder 18, which is enrolled
in advance.
A monetary facility used by the right holder 18 notifies the server
4 of the right holder 18 that the royalty sum has been transferred.
In response to this notification, the royalty settling software
24 of the server 4 automatically issues a receipt to the server
of the dealer 28. Further, the ledger data 26 is revised such that
a portion represented as "non-requested" is changed so
as to be represented as "requested".
As described above, the serial number is not doubly registered
and an error of registration is not caused due to a halt of the
server. Thus, it is possible to obtain a correct number of users.
Moreover, the user registration is automatically completed so that
the time for performing the registration by mailing or the like
is omitted.
The royalty occurs relative to a number of users actually using
the software so that the royalty may be fairly settled. Further,
in relation to the count of the user number, it is automatically
performed to charge the royalty and to transfer it. Also, it is
automatically performed to issue the receipt. Thus, it is possible
to prevent the royalty settling process from becoming a complicated
process, and it is possible to reduce the cost required for this
process.
In the above embodiment, the serial number is sent when the software
14 is initially booted and until the registration is completed.
However, the serial number may be sent whenever the software 14
is booted. Alternatively, the serial number may be sent whenever
the software 14 is used predetermined times, for example, ten times.
In doing so, it is possible to know a usage frequency of the software
14.
The serial number may be sent when the software 14 is used prescribed
times over, for example, twenty times over. In doing so, users merely
trying the software 14 a few times are distinguished from the other
users frequently using the software 14. It is possible to obtain
a similar effect in comparison with a case in that a trial of prescribed
times is applied to the software 14.
In the above embodiment, the dealer 28 transfers the royalty to
the account of the right holder 18 in response to the bill issued
from the right holder 18. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the right
holder 18 may request the monetary facility to transfer the royalty
from the account of the dealer 28 to the account of the right holder
18 at the same time of issuance of the bill. In this case, it is
possible to reduce a load of process taken in the server of the
dealer 28 so that the royalty may be more quickly settled.
As shown in FIG. 8, the server 35 of the dealer 28 may execute
the serial-number registering process and the royalty settling process.
In this case, the user number is notified from the server 35 to
the right holder 18, and at the same time, the royalty is transferred
to the account 31 of the right holder 18. Incidentally, transferring
the royalty may be performed after charging the dealer 28 the royalty.
As shown in FIG. 9, the serial-number registering process may be
executed by utilizing a server 38 of a provider 37. In this case,
the user number is notified from the server 38 to both of the dealer
28 and the right holder 18. Successively, the right holder 18 charges
the dealer 28, and the royalty is transferred from the dealer 28
to the right holder 18. After that, the receipt is issued from the
right holder 18 to the dealer 28. In this way, the transfer of the
royalty is completed.
In the above embodiment, the serial number is sent without confirmation
for the user. The serial number, however, may be sent after confirmation
for the user. Moreover, although the user number of the software
is counted, it is possible to count a user number of the peripheral
device itself, which is the digital camera for instance.
As to the date to be sent, the serial number is not limited. It
is possible to send the serial number together with data including
a kind of another peripheral device to be used, a kind of the software,
a version of a used operating system, and so forth. If it is possible
to collect and send an address, a name, a mail address, and so forth
of the user, these items may be utilized for aftercare.
Although the present invention has been fully described by way
of the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying
drawings, various changes and modifications will be apparent to
those having skill in this field. Therefore, unless otherwise these
changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present invention,
they should be construed as included therein. |