WO2003040897A2

WO2003040897A2 - Process, terminal and server for controlling access to data

Info

Publication number: WO2003040897A2
Application number: PCT/IB2002/004658
Authority: WO
Inventors: Laurent Cauvin; Gilles Morillon; Nadine Patry
Original assignee: Thomson Multimedia; BARON, René-Louis
Priority date: 2001-11-08
Filing date: 2002-11-07
Publication date: 2003-05-15
Also published as: FR2832009A1; AU2002349708A1; WO2003040897A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for controlling access from a terminal (10) to data (16) from a server (12), this access being obtained via a communication network (14).According to the invention, provision is made so that, when the terminal (10) requires data (16) to be transmitted, the server (12) transmits to the terminal (10) means for passing on to a server (20) the identity of the required server (12) and the access request from the terminal (10) so that this server (20) may control the access to data from the required server.

Description

METHOD, TERMINAL AND SERVER FOR CONTROLLING ACCESS FROM A TERMINAL TO DATA FROM A SERVER VIA A TELECOMMUNICATION

NETWORK

The present invention relates to a process, a terminal and a server in respect of controlling access from a terminal to data from a server via a telecommunication network such as the Internet, and particularly in respect of authorising and/or charging for this access.

The Internet comprises servers connected to a communication network, in particular the telephone network, and containing or storing data, for example so as to code images, audio files and/or programs, which can be accessed at terminals connected to this same telephone network.

To this end, each of these terminals is equipped with a modem enabling communication with the servers, also equipped with a modem, to be initiated and established. In the course of a communication, the terminal requires the transfer of data stored in the server and receives it via a so-called "navigator" program which makes it possible, in particular, to decode data issued by the server and encoded in the standardised language for Internet communications, known as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) .

Furthermore, the terminal generally includes a second type of program, known as a "plug-in" or HTML navigator extension module, which allows the server to control the terminal by means of the data transmitted. Such is the case when this data is encoded in HTML in an "embed object", in other words an object included in the HTML text which triggers the plug-in and enables, for example, a communication to be established between the terminal and another server referenced by the plug-in.

Access to server data may be subject to payment, when this data corresponds to a work that is subject to fees for reasons of copyright. In this case, the data subject to payment is transmitted to the terminal only when the latter makes a payment equal to the requisite access. Generally, such payment is made by a coded transmission from terminal to server of the number of an account or banker' s card able to be debited by the fee required for the requisite data transmission.

But such payments made via a telephone network, so- called on-line payments, are considered to be risky on account of the potential for the fraudulent interception of confidential data transmitted when paying on-line. Indeed, encryption means protecting such payments do not guarantee total protection against such interception. Therefore, users tend to avoid using services that have to be paid for on-line.

Furthermore, when a server stores licensed data, the server manager must generally pay fees to the data owner, these fees being calculated as a function of the number of times this data is accessed from the server. In this case, the mode of payment previously described does not allow the owner of the data to assess the fees due from the manager independently of the latter, who is the only one to know the number of times the server and the licensed data have been accessed and the nature of that access.

Such a situation is unacceptable for many owners or authors who do not license their data since they lack a tool for establishing, independently of the licensed server managers, the fees that are due to them from the latter.

The present invention resolves these problems. It relates to a method for controlling access from a terminal to data from a server, this access being obtained via a communication network, characterised in that provision is made, when the terminal requires the transmission of data, for the server to transmit to the terminal means for passing on to a control server the identity of the required server and the terminal access request so that this server may control access to data from the required server. That being the case, the owner of the data stored in the server is able to control, by means of a control server of this kind, access to licensed data.

In particular, it is possible to check that the server required by a terminal in respect of obtaining data has a licence in line with this request. In this case, provision is made, in one embodiment, so that the data required by the terminal cannot be used without authorisation being sent from the control server to the terminal.

The owner is also able to assess the fees due from the server manager from his control server, since the latter is informed each time the licensed servers are accessed. In one embodiment, the means transmitted include at least one of the following elements: an HTML homepage, an embed object, information identifying the requisite server and the request made. According to one embodiment, after being informed of the identity of the required server and of the data access request from the terminal, the control server transmits to the terminal an access code allowing it to receive the requisite data from the control server. In one embodiment, the required data is subject to a licence such that the number of data transmissions to the terminals is restricted and periodically renewable, and/or such that the licence is free-of-charge and transmissions are charged for subsequently, and/or such that the licence is free-of-charge for a given number n of transmissions and subject to payment in respect of any other transmission.

In this case, in one embodiment, the fee due from the server manager is a function of the number of data transmissions, their duration, and/or the quantity of data transferred.

In one embodiment, data transmission from the licensed server to the requesting terminal is in the HTML language.

According to one embodiment, music data transmitted is charged for as a function of different transmission levels depending on the duration and/or the quantity of data considered as transmitted.

In one embodiment, the control server is a server different from the charged server.

According to one embodiment, the data is produced automatically in the following way: - musical moments are defined during which at least four notes are able to be played,

- two groups of note pitches are defined, for each musical moment, the second group of note pitches having at least one note pitch which is not in the first group,

- at least one sequence of notes is constituted having at least two notes, each sequence of notes being called "a musical phrase", a sequence in which, for each moment, each note whose pitch belongs exclusively to the second group is surrounded exclusively by notes of the first group, and

- a signal is produced representing each note pitch of each of said sequences.

In this case, an embodiment is provided such that, in order to define two groups of note pitches, in respect of each musical moment, the first group is defined as a set of note pitches belonging to a chord duplicated from octave to octave.

To define two groups of note pitches, provision is made, in one embodiment, so that the second group of note pitches will comprise at least the pitches of notes of a scale which are not in the first group of note pitches.

According to one embodiment, in the course of constituting at least one sequence of notes having at least two notes, each musical phrase is defined as a set of notes the start times of which are not separated from each other, in twos, by more than a pre-specified duration.

The invention also relates to a terminal equipped with a plug-in and connected to a communication network characterised in that it comprises a means so that, when this terminal makes a request to access data from a server, the plug-in establishes communication with a server controlling access to data from the requisite server such that it informs the latter of the request.

In one embodiment, the terminal then includes means for receiving from this control server an access code allowing the terminal to access the requisite data.

The invention also relates to a server connected to a communication network characterised in that it includes means, when this server receives a request for data from a terminal, for transmitting to the terminal means for establishing communication between this terminal and a control server in the course of which the control server is informed of the identity of the required server and of the data access request from the terminal in order that this server may control access to data from the requisite server.

In this case, in one embodiment, the means transmitted include at least one of the following elements: an HTML homepage, an embed object, information identifying the required server and the request made. Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description, given descriptively and non-restrictively, with reference to the single figure appended hereto, which shows a control system in accordance with the invention. In this figure a terminal 10 has been shown which requires access to data stored in a server 12 connected to the telephone network 14. This server 12 stores music files 16 able to be transmitted via the telephone network 14 and data encoded in the HTML language for a homepage transmitted to any terminal 10 attempting to access the music files. This homepage, which informs the user of the terminal 10 that his/her request is being processed, also includes data identifying the server 12 and the music files 16 required by the terminal 10. Moreover, an "embed object", in other words a program triggering an operation on the part of a plug-in 18 of the terminal navigator is included in the HTML page.

The plug-in 18 of the terminal 10 brings about a communication between the terminal 10 and a control server 20. During this communication, the terminal 10 transmits the data identifying the server 12 and the requisite music files 16. The control server 20 then stores this information and verifies that the server 12 has a valid licence in respect of transmitting the data required by the terminal 10. To this end, the control server 20 includes a database determining the type of licence granted to each licensed server 12.

A licence may be granted in different ways. For example, it may be purchased in respect of a limited number of times the music files may be accessed and be periodically renewable, or it may be free-of-charge but with the number of times they are accessed being counted and/or charged for subsequently, or again, the licence may be free-of-charge for a given number n of times they are accessed and be subject to payment thereafter.

In the example, access to the server 12 enables music files 16 to be transmitted to the terminal 10. However, the invention also relates to a service for transmitting data continuously over a specified time period, for example a few hours, or for a transmission of unspecified duration. Following verification, the control server 20 transmits a signal 22 certifying the validity of the connection of the terminal 10 in respect of the server 12 and thus enables the plug-in 18 to download the music files required by the terminal. That being the case, the usage counter (not shown) of the server 12 is incremented by one access corresponding to the transmission authorised by the certificate 22. This counter may be used to charge the server for the licence, to create statistics on the number of visits or for other services.

The description given above concerns access to data from a server by a terminal connected to the Internet via a telephone network. However the invention relates to any type of access from a terminal to data from a server via any telecommunication network, for example where this terminal is a mobile telephone accessing data from a server of the Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) type.

In a variant of the invention, when the control server has verified the validity of the licence of a server containing information required by a terminal, this control server transmits to the terminal a certificate authorising the use of the data transmitted.

Furthermore, depending on the licences granted, the "plug-in" may be such that it transmits to the control server end-of-communication data such its length or rate.

Claims

1. A method for controlling access from a terminal (10) to data (16) from a server (12), this access being obtained via a communication network (14), characterised in that provision is made, when the terminal (10) requires the transmission of data (16), for the server (12) to transmit to the terminal (10) means for passing on to a control server (20) the identity of the required server (12) and the access request from the terminal (10) so that this server (20) may control access to data from the required server.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the means transmitted include at least one of the following elements: an HTML homepage, an embed object, information identifying the requisite server and the request made.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that, after being informed of the identity of the required server (12) and of the access request from the terminal (10) to data (16) , the control server (20) transmits to the terminal (10) an access code allowing it to receive the required data from the server (12) .

4. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the required data (16) is subject to a licence such that the number of data (16) transmissions to the terminals (10) is restricted and periodically renewable, and/or such that the licence is free-of-charge and transmissions are charged for subsequently, and/or such that the licence is free-of-charge for a given number n of transmissions and subject to payment in respect of any other transmission.

5. A method according to claim 4, characterised in that the fee due from the manager of the server (12) is a function of the number of transmissions of data (16), their duration, and/or the quantity of data transferred.

6. A method according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that data transmission from the licensed server (12) to the requesting terminal (10) is in the HTML language.

7. A method according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the data transmitted is charged for depending on different transmission levels as a function of the duration and/or the quantity of data considered as transmitted.

8. A method according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the control server is a server different from the required server.

9. A method according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the data (16) is music data produced automatically in the following way: - musical moments are defined during which at least four notes are able to be played,

- two groups of note pitches are defined, for each musical moment, the second group of note pitches having at least one note pitch which is not in the first group, - at least one sequence of notes is constituted having at least two notes, each sequence of notes being called "a musical phrase", a sequence in which, for each moment, each note whose pitch belongs exclusively to the second group is surrounded exclusively by notes of the first group, and ^_ a signal is produced representing each note pitch of each of said sequences.

10. A method according to claim 9, characterised in that, in order to define two groups of note pitches, in respect of each musical moment, the first group is defined as a set of note pitches belonging to a chord duplicated from octave to octave.

11. A method according to claim 10, characterised in that, to define two groups of note pitches, the second group of note pitches will comprise at least the pitches of notes of a scale which are not in the first group of note pitches.

12. A method according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterised in that in the course of constituting at least one sequence of notes having at least two notes, each musical phrase is defined as a set of notes the start times of which are not separated from each other, in twos, by more than a pre-specified duration.

13. A terminal (10) equipped with a plug-in and connected to a communication network characterised in that it comprises a means making it possible, when the terminal (10) makes a request to access data (16) from a server (13) , for the plug-in to establish communication with a server (20) controlling access to data from the required server (13) such that it informs the server (20) of this request .

14. A terminal according to claim 13 characterised in that it includes means for receiving from this control server an access code allowing the terminal to access the required data.

15. A server connected to a communication network characterised in that it includes a means, when this server receives a request for data (16) from a terminal (10) , for transmitting to the terminal (10) means for establishing communication between this terminal (10) and a control server (20) in the course of which the control server (20) is informed of the identity of the requisite server (12) and of the access request from the terminal (10) to data (16) in order that this server (20) may control access to data from the required server (12) .

16. A server according to claim 15, characterised in that the means transmitted include at least one of the following elements: an HTML homepage, an embed object, information identifying the required server and the request made.