Content distribution system; content distribution method; distribution server, client terminal, and portable terminal used in the system; and computer readable recording medium on which is recorded a program for operating a computer used in the system

Abstract

A user accesses a sound data distribution server by operating a client terminal. The sound data distribution server transmits data for displaying a list of distributable music. The data are displayed on a display unit of the client terminal. While referring to the display on the display unit, the user requests the sound data distribution server for distribution of regular music data. This request is issued from the client terminal. A cellular phone to which the regular music data are to be distributed is specified by data (e.g., a mail address of the cellular phone) input at the client terminal. This enables the sound data distribution server to recognize the cellular phone and distribute the regular music data to the cellular phone.

1 . A content distribution system which comprises a portable terminal, a distribution server capable of communicating with said portable terminal, and a client terminal capable of communicating with said distribution server and in which a content item is distributed from said distribution server to said portable terminal by use of said client terminal, wherein 
 said distribution server comprises: 
 a database which stores a plurality of content items;  
 search means for performing search under search conditions provided from said client terminal in order to select from the stored content items a content item or items which match the search conditions and for transmitting content-specifying data which specify the selected content item or items to said client terminal as search results; and  
 content distribution means for distributing to said portable terminal a content item corresponding to content-specifying data transmitted from said client terminal or said portable terminal;  
   said client terminal comprises: 
 search condition transmission means for transmitting the search conditions to said distribution server; and  
 display means for displaying the search results transmitted from said distribution server;  
   said portable terminal comprises: 
 content execution means for performing operation on the basis of the content item distributed from said distribution server; and  
   said client terminal or said portable terminal comprises: 
 content-specifying-data transmission means for transmitting the content-specifying data to said distribution server.  
   
   
   
       2 . A content distribution system according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said distribution server comprises: 
 trial-content distribution means for distributing, in response to a request from said client terminal, a trial content item to said client terminal, the trial content item corresponding to the content-specifying data transmitted from said content-specifying-data transmission means and being used at said client terminal in trial use of the content item to be distributed to said portable terminal; and  
   said client terminal comprises: 
 trial-content request means for transmitting the content-specifying data to said distribution server and requesting distribution of the trial content item; and  
 trial means for using on a trial basis the trial content item transmitted from said distribution server.  
   
   
   
       3 . A content distribution system according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said client terminal or said portable terminal comprises type-specifying-data transmission means for transmitting to said distribution server data which specify a type of said content execution means of said portable terminal; and    said content distribution means of said distribution server distributes to said portable terminal a content item corresponding to the content-specifying data transmitted from said content-specifying-data transmission means and the data which specify the type of said content execution means of said portable terminal.    
   
   
       4 . A content distribution system according to  claim 3 , wherein said content distribution means of said distribution server processes a content item stored in said database and corresponding to the content-specifying data transmitted from said content-specifying data transmission means, in accordance with the data which specify the type of said content execution means of said portable terminal and transmits the processed content item to the portable terminal.  
   
   
       5 . A content distribution system according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 said distribution server comprises a database which stores a plurality of content items corresponding to types of said content execution means of said portable terminal; and    said content distribution means of said server selects from the plurality of content items stored in said database one content item corresponding to the content-specifying data, in accordance with the data which specify a type of said content execution means of said portable terminal, and distributes the selected content item to said portable terminal.    
   
   
       6 . A content distribution method in which a content item stored in a distribution server having a database storing a plurality of content items is distributed to a portable terminal capable of communicating with said distribution server and including content execution means for performing operation on the basis of the distributed content item, by use of a client terminal capable of communicating with said distribution server and including display means, wherein 
 search conditions for content search are transmitted from said client terminal to said distribution server;    search is performed at said distribution server in accordance with the search conditions in order to select from the stored content items a content item or items which match the search conditions, and content-specifying data which specify the selected content item or items are transmitted to said client terminal as search results;    the search results are displayed on said display means of sad client terminal;    distribution of a content item is requested from said client terminal or said portable terminal to said distribution server on the basis of the content-specifying data; and    in response to the request, the content item corresponding to the content-specifying data is transmitted from said distribution server to said portable terminal.    
   
   
       7 . A content distribution method in which a content item stored in a distribution server having a database storing a plurality of content items is distributed to a portable terminal capable of communicating with said distribution server and including content execution means for performing operation on the basis of the content item, by use of a client terminal capable of communicating with said distribution server and including display means and trial means for performing operation on the basis of a trial content item corresponding to the content item to be distributed to said portable terminal, wherein 
 search conditions for content search are transmitted from said client terminal to said distribution server;    search is performed at said distribution server in accordance with the search conditions in order to select from the stored content items a content item or items which match the search conditions, and content-specifying data which specify the selected content item or items are transmitted to said client terminal as search results;    the search results are displayed on said display means of sad client terminal;    distribution of the trial content item is requested from said client terminal to said distribution server on the basis of the content-specifying data;    in response to the request for the trial content item, the trial content item corresponding to the content-specifying data is transmitted from said distribution server to said client terminal;    the trial content item is used on a trial basis by said trial means of said client terminal;    distribution of the content item is requested from said client terminal or said portable terminal to said distribution server on the basis of the content-specifying data; and    in response to the request for the content item, the content item corresponding to the content-specifying data is transmitted from said distribution server to said portable terminal.    
   
   
       8 . A content distribution method according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 data which specify a type of said content execution means of said portable terminal are transmitted from said client terminal or said portable terminal to said distribution server; and    a content item corresponding to the content-specifying data and the data which specify the type of said content execution means of said portable terminal is distributed from said distribution server to said portable terminal.    
   
   
       9 . A content distribution method according to  claim 8 , wherein the content item corresponding to the data which specify the type of said content execution means of said portable terminal is produced by said distribution server which processes a content item stored in a database of said distribution server and corresponding to the content-specifying data in accordance with the data which specify the type of said content execution means of said portable terminal.  
   
   
       10 . A content distribution method according to  claim 8 , wherein a plurality of content items corresponding to types of said content execution means of said portable terminal are stored in a data base of said distribution server; and the content item corresponding to the data which specify the type of said content execution means of said portable terminal is obtained by selecting one content item from the stored content items in accordance with the content-specifying data and the data which specify the type of said content execution means of said portable terminal.  
   
   
       11 . A distribution server which can communicate with a portable terminal including content execution means for performing operation on the basis of a distributed content item and a client terminal including trial means for performing operation on the basis of a distributed trial content item and display means for displaying search results, comprising: 
 a database which stores a plurality of content items;    search means for performing search under search conditions provided from said client terminal in order to select from the stored content items a content item or items which match the search conditions and for transmitting content-specifying data which specify the selected content item or items to said client terminal as search results;    content distribution means for distributing to said portable terminal a content item corresponding to the content-specifying data, in response to a distribution request signal transmitted from said client terminal or said portable terminal and containing the content-specifying data; and    trial-content distribution means for distributing to said client terminal a trial content item corresponding to the content-specifying data, in response to a distribution request signal transmitted from said client terminal and containing the content-specifying data.    
   
   
       12 . A client terminal capable of communicating with a distribution server which distributes a content item to a portable terminal including content execution means for performing operation on the basis of the distributed content item and which includes a database for storing a plurality of content items, comprising: 
 search condition transmission means for transmitting to said distribution server search conditions used for content search; and    display means for receiving from said distribution server content-specifying data which specify a content item or items selected thorough searching performed by said distribution server and matching the searching conditions and for displaying the content-specifying data as search results.    
   
   
       13 . A client terminal according to  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 trial-content request means for requesting said distribution server to distribute a trial content item which is used at said client terminal for trial use of the content item to be distributed to said portable terminal; and    trial means for using on a trial basis the trial content item transmitted from said distribution server.    
   
   
       14 . A client terminal according to  claim 12 , further comprising type-specifying-data transmission means for transmitting to said distribution server data for specifying a type of said content execution means of said portable terminal.  
   
   
       15 . A portable terminal to which one of a plurality of content items stored in a distribution server is distributed by use of a client terminal capable of communicating with said distribution server, comprising: 
 content-specifying-data transmission means for transmitted to said distribution server content-specifying data for specifying a content item among content items selected through searching performed on the basis of search conditions transmitted from said client terminal to said distribution server; and    content execution means for performing operation on the basis of the content item which is distributed from said distribution server in accordance with the content-specifying data.    
   
   
       16 . A portable terminal according to  claim 15 , further comprising type-specifying-data transmission means for transmitting to said distribution server data which specify a type of said content execution means.  
   
   
       17 . A computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a program applied to a client computer which can communicate with a distribution server which has a database for storing a plurality of content items and distributes a content item to a portable terminal including content execution means for performing operation on the basis of the distributed content item, said program comprising: 
 search condition transmission processing for transmitting to said distribution server search conditions used for content search; and    display processing for receiving from said distribution server content-specifying data which specify a content item or items selected thorough searching performed by said distribution server and matching the searching conditions and for displaying the content-specifying data as search results.    
   
   
       18 . A computer-readable recording medium according to  claim 17 , wherein said program further comprises: 
 trial-content request processing for requesting said distribution server to distribute a trial content item which is used at said client terminal for trial use of the content item to be distributed to said portable terminal; and    trial processing for using on a trial basis the trial content item transmitted from said distribution server.    
   
   
       19 . A computer-readable recording medium according to  claim 17 , wherein said program further comprises type-specifying-data transmission processing for transmitting to said distribution server data for specifying a type of said content execution means of said portable terminal.  
   
   
       20 . A content distribution system which comprises a portable terminal, a distribution server capable of communicating with said portable terminal, and a client terminal capable of communicating with said distribution server and in which a content item is distributed from said distribution server to said portable terminal by use of said client terminal, wherein 
 said distribution server comprises: 
 a database for storing a plurality of content items;  
 content storage means for storing said content items in said database together with registration dates each indicating a date on which the corresponding content item has been stored in said database, in such a manner that the registration dates are related to said content items;  
 search means for performing search under search conditions provided from said client terminal in order to select from the content items stored in said database content items which match the search conditions, sorting data representing the selected content items in descending order of registration dates to thereby produce a list, and transmitting the thus-produced list to said client terminal as search results; and  
 content distribution means for distributing to said portable terminal a content item corresponding to content-representing-data transmitted from said client terminal or said portable terminal;  
   said client terminal comprises: 
 search condition transmission means for transmitting the search conditions to said distribution server; and  
 display means for displaying the search results transmitted from said distribution server;  
   said portable terminal comprises: 
 content execution means for performing operation on the basis of the content item distributed from said distribution server; and  
   said client terminal or said portable terminal comprises: 
 data transmission means for transmitting the content-representing data to said distribution server.  
   
   
   
       21 . A content distribution system which comprises a portable terminal, a distribution server capable of communicating with said portable terminal, and a client terminal capable of communicating with said distribution server and in which a content item is distributed from said distribution server to said portable terminal by use of said client terminal, wherein 
 said distribution server comprises: 
 a database for storing a plurality of regular content items and trial content items corresponding to the regular content items;  
 content storage means for storing said regular content items and trial content items in said database together with trial-content registration dates each indicating a date on which the corresponding trial content item has been stored in said database;  
 search means for performing search under search conditions provided from said client terminal in order to select from the regular content items stored in said database regular content items which match the search conditions, sorting data representing the selected regular content items in descending order of registration dates of the trial content items corresponding to the selected regular content items, to thereby produce a list, and transmitting the thus-produced list to said client terminal as search results;  
 trial content distribution means for distributing a trial content item to said client terminal in response to a trial-content distribution request from said client terminal, the trial content item corresponding to content-representing data transmitted from said client terminal together with the distribution request;  
 regular content distribution means for distributing a regular content item to said portable terminal in response to a regular-content distribution request from said client terminal or said portable terminal, the regular content item corresponding to content-representing data transmitted from said client terminal or said portable terminal together with the distribution request;  
   said client terminal comprises: 
 search condition transmission means for transmitting the search conditions to said distribution server;  
 display means for displaying the search results transmitted from said distribution server; and  
 trial-content request means for transmitting the content-representing data and the trial-content distribution request; and  
 trial means for using on a trial basis the trial content item transmitting from said distribution server;  
   said portable terminal comprises: 
 content execution means for performing operation on the basis of the regular content item distributed from said distribution server; and  
   said client terminal or said portable terminal comprises: 
 regular-content request means for transmitting to said distribution server the content-representing data and the regular-content distribution request.  
   
   
   
       22 . A content distribution system according to  claim 21 , wherein said distribution server comprises content conversion means for converting the regular content items to the trial content items.  
   
   
       23 . A content distribution system according to  claim 22 , wherein 
 said client terminal or said portable terminal comprises type-specifying-data transmission means for transmitting to said distribution server data which specify a type of said content execution means of said portable terminal; and    said regular content distribution means of said distribution server distributes to said portable terminal the regular content item corresponding to the content-representing data and the data which specify the type of the content execution means of the portable terminal.    
   
   
       24 . A content distribution method in which a content item stored in a distribution server having a database storing a plurality of content items is distributed to a portable terminal capable of communicating with said distribution server and including content execution means for performing operation on the basis of the distributed content item, by use of a client terminal capable of communicating with said distribution server and including display means, wherein 
 said content items are stored in said database together with content-item registration dates each indicating a date on which the corresponding content item has been stored in said database;    search conditions are transmitted from said client terminal to said distribution server;    content items which match the search conditions are selected by said distribution server from said database and data representing the selected content items are sorted in descending order of registration dates to thereby produce a list;    the thus-produced list is transmitted from said distribution server to said client terminal as search results;    the search results are displayed on said display means of said client terminal;    distribution of a content item is requested from said client terminal or said portable terminal to said distribution server on the basis of content-representing data; and    in response to the request, the content item corresponding to the content-representing data are distributed from said distribution server to said portable terminal.    
   
   
       25 . A content distribution method in which a content item stored in a distribution server having a database for storing content items and trial content items is distributed to a portable terminal capable of communicating with said distribution server and including content execution means for performing operation on the basis of the distributed content item, by use of a client terminal capable of communicating with said distribution server and including display means and trial content execution means for using a distributed trial content item on a trial basis, wherein 
 regular content items and trial content items corresponding to the regular content items are stored in said database together with trial-content registration dates each indicating a date on which the corresponding trial content item has been stored in said database;    search conditions are transmitted from said client terminal to said distribution server;    content items which match the search conditions are selected by said distribution server from said database and data representing the selected content items are sorted in descending order of registration dates of the trial content items corresponding to the selected regular content items to thereby produce a list;    the thus-produced list is transmitted from said distribution server to said client terminal as search results;    the search results are displayed on said display means of said client terminal;    distribution of a trial content item is requested from said client terminal or said portable terminal to said distribution server on the basis of content-representing data;    in response to the request for distribution of the trial content item, the trial content item corresponding to the content-representing data are distributed from said distribution server to said client terminal;    distribution of a content item is requested from said client terminal or said portable terminal to said distribution server on the basis of content-representing data; and    in response to the request for distribution of the content item, the content item corresponding to the content-representing data are distributed from said distribution server to said portable terminal.    
   
   
       26 . A content distribution method according to  claim 25 , wherein the regular content items are converted to produce the trial content items.  
   
   
       27 . A content distribution method according to  claim 26 , wherein 
 the data which specify a type of said content execution means of said portable terminal are transmitted from said client terminal or said portable terminal to said distribution server; and    a content item corresponding to the data which specify a type of said content execution means of said portable terminal and the content-representing data transmitted from said client terminal or said portable terminal to said distribution server is transmitted from said distribution server to said portable terminal.    
   
   
       28 . A distribution server which can communicate with a portable terminal including content execution means for performing operation on the basis of a distributed content item and a client terminal including display means for displaying search results, comprising: 
 a database for storing a plurality of content items;    content storage means for storing said content items in said database together with registration dates each indicating a date on which the corresponding content item has been stored in said database, in such a manner that the registration dates are related to said content items;    search means for performing search under search conditions provided from said client terminal in order to select from the content items stored in said database content items which match the search conditions, sorting data representing the selected content items in descending order of registration dates to thereby produce a list, and transmitting the thus-produced list to said client terminal as search results; and    content distribution means for distributing to said portable terminal a content item corresponding to content-representing-data transmitted from said client terminal or said portable terminal.    
   
   
       29 . A distribution server which can communicate with a portable terminal including content execution means for performing operation on the basis of a distributed content item and a client terminal including display means for displaying search results and trial means for performing operation on the basis of a trial content item corresponding to the content item to be distributed to said portable terminal, comprising: 
 a database for storing a plurality of regular content items and trial content items corresponding to the regular content items;    content storage means for storing said regular content items and trial content items in said database together with trial-content registration dates each indicating a date on which the corresponding trial content item has been stored in said database;    search means for performing search under search conditions provided from said client terminal in order to select from the regular content items stored in said database regular content items which match the search conditions, sorting data representing the selected regular content items in descending order of registration dates of the trial content items corresponding to the selected regular content items, to thereby produce a list, and transmitting the thus-produced list to said client terminal as search results;    trial content distribution means for distributing a trial content item to said client terminal in response to a trial-content distribution request from said client terminal, the trial content item corresponding to content-representing data transmitted from said client terminal together with the distribution request; and    regular content distribution means for distributing a regular content item to said portable terminal in response to a regular-content distribution request from said client terminal or said portable terminal, the regular content item corresponding to content-representing data transmitted from said client terminal or said portable terminal together with the distribution request.    
   
   
       30 . A distribution server according to  claim 29 , further comprising content conversion means for converting the regular content items to the trial content items.  
   
   
       31 . A client terminal capable of communicating with a distribution server which includes a database for storing a plurality of content items and which distributes a content item to a portable terminal including content execution means for performing operation on the basis of the distributed content item, comprising: 
 search condition transmission means for transmitting the search conditions to said distribution server; and    display means for displaying, as search results, the list transmitted from said distribution server, the list including content-representing data representing the content items selected from said database on the basis of the search condition and sorted in descending order of their registration dates.    
   
   
       32 . A client terminal capable of communicating with a distribution server which includes a database for storing content items and trial content items together with registration dates of the trial content items and which distributes a regular content item to a portable terminal including content execution means for performing operation on the basis of the distributed regular content item, comprising: 
 search condition transmission means for transmitting the search conditions to said distribution server;    display means for displaying, as search results, the list transmitted from said distribution server, the list including content-representing data representing the content items selected from said database on the basis of the search conditions and sorted in descending order of registration dates of the trial content items;    trial-content request means for transmitting the content-representing data and requesting distribution of the trial content item; and    trial means for using on a trial basis the trial content item transmitted from said distribution server.    
   
   
       33 . A client terminal according to  claim 32 , further comprising type-specifying-data transmission means for transmitting to said distribution server data which specify a type of said content execution means of said portable terminal.  
   
   
       34 . A content distribution system according to  claim 2 , wherein a different trial content item is distributed depending on the type of said content execution means of said portable terminal.  
   
   
       35 . A content distribution system according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 said distribution server comprises charging means for charging a predetermined fee to a user of said client terminal or to a user of said portable terminal when the content item is distributed, and charging a fee lower than the predetermined fee to the user when the trial content item is distributed.    
   
   
       36 . A content distribution method according to  claim 7 , wherein a different trial content item is distributed depending on the type of said content execution means of said portable terminal.  
   
   
       37 . A content distribution method according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 a predetermined fee is charged to a user of said client terminal or to a user of said portable terminal when the content item is distributed; and a fee lower than the predetermined fee is charged to the user when the trial content item is distributed.    
   
   
       38 . A distribution server according to  claim 11 , wherein said trial-content distribution means distributes a different trial content item to said client terminal in accordance with the type of said content execution means of said portable terminal.  
   
   
       39 . A distribution server according to  claim 11 , further comprising charging means for charging a predetermined fee to a user of said client terminal or to a user of said portable terminal when the content item is distributed, and for charging a fee lower than the predetermined fee to the user when the trial content item is distributed.  
   
   
       40 . A client terminal according to  claim 13 , further comprising type-specifying-data transmission means for transmitting to said distribution server data for specifying a type of said content execution means of said portable terminal.  
   
   
       41 . A computer-readable recording medium according to  claim 18 , wherein said program further comprises type-specifying-data transmission processing for transmitting to said distribution server data for specifying a type of said content execution means of said portable terminal.