Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Image Transmission Apparatus,
Image Transmission System, and
Communication Apparatus
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to providing
information in a multimedia network system for
transmitting information such as dynamic image data,
still image data, audio data, computer data, and the
like, and an image transmission apparatus, an image
transmission system, and a communication apparatus used
therefor.
Related Back~cround Art
In recent years, so-called information service
industries are growing along with the use of optical
fiber networks in trunk communication networks, spread
of cable television systems, practical use of satellite
communications, spread of local area networks, and the
like.
The information service industries provide various
kinds of information using the above-mentioned
communication networks, and charge users in
correspondence with the contents and volume of
information. In such information service industries,
it is important to appropriately charge or ask an
account for the provided information.
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However, the conventional information service
industries use a month-to-month accounting system
independently of the use frequency as in the cable
television system or the satellite broadcast system, or
an accounting system for counting only the use
frequency (or use time) independently of the kind or
quality of information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in
consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has
as its first object to perform accounting processing in
consideration of the kind and quality of information
provided.
It is the second object of the present invention
to prevent an illicit act against information
transmitted/received in an image transmission system.
According to an embodiment of the present
invention, an image transmission apparatus which
processes hierarchically encoded image information,
comprises accounting means for performing accounting
processing in correspondence with a resolution of the
image information.
According to another embodiment of the present
invention, an image transmission apparatus which
processes hierarchically encoded image information,
comprises accounting means for performing accounting
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processing in correspondence with a resolution of the
image information, and charge storage means for storing
a charge of the image information calculated by the
accounting means.
According to still another embodiment, an image
transmission apparatus which processes hierarchically
encoded image information, comprises accounting means
for performing accounting processing in correspondence
with a resolution and a volume of the image
information.
According to still another embodiment, an image
transmission apparatus which processes hierarchically
encoded image information, comprises accounting means
for performing accounting processing in correspondence
with a resolution of the image information, information
volume measuring means for measuring a volume of the
image information, and charge storage means for storing
a charge of the image information calculated by the
accounting means.
According to still another embodiment, the
apparatus comprises payment means for paying a charge
of the image information at predetermined time
intervals.
According to still another embodiment, an image
transmission apparatus which processes hierarchically
encoded image information, comprises accounting means
for performing accounting processing in correspondence
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with a resolution of the image information, charge
storage means for storing a charge of the image
information calculated by the accounting means, and
payment means for paying the charge of the image
information at predetermined time intervals.
According to still another embodiment, the
accounting means is arranged at the transmitter side.
According to still another embodiment, the
accounting means is arranged at the receiver side.
According to still another embodiment, the
accounting means are arranged at both the transmitter
and receiver sides.
According to still another embodiment, an
apparatus comprises image destination designation means
for designating an arbitrary image reception apparatus
as a destination of an image and requesting an image
provider to transmit the image, image transmission
means for transmitting the image to the image reception
apparatus designated by the image destination
designation means, and accounting means for performing
accounting processing for a user who designated the
destination of the image or a user who received the
image.
According to still another embodiment, the
apparatus comprises cipher means for performing at
least one of encipherment or digital signature of the
information to be transmitted.
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According to an embodiment of the present
invention, an image transmission system which processes
hierarchically encoded image information, comprises a
transmission apparatus, which comprises accounting
means for performing accounting processing in
correspondence with a resolution and a volume of the
image information, information volume measuring means
for measuring the volume of the image information, and
charge storage means for storing the charge of the
image information calculated by the accounting means,
and a reception apparatus, which comprises payment
means for paying the charge of the image information at
predetermined time intervals.
According to another embodiment, a communication
apparatus which receives data via a network, comprises
detection means for detecting a traffic state of the
network, and designation means for designating a
transmission format of the data in correspondence with
the detection result of the detection means.
According to still another embodiment, the
designation means designates the transmission format to
a transmission terminal via the network.
According to still another embodiment, the
transmission format is a layer in hierarchical
encoding.
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Since the above-mentioned embodiment has the above
technical means, charges of images can be calculated in
units of resolutions.
According to another embodiment, since the
accounting processing is performed in correspondence
with the resolution and volume of the image
information, charges of images can be calculated in
units of resolutions, and can also be determined in
consideration of the information volume.
According to still another embodiment, since the
payment means for paying a charge at the predetermined
time intervals is arranged, accounts can be settled at
the predetermined time intervals by calculating an
accumulated charge.
According to still another embodiment, the
accounting processing can be performed in
correspondence with the hierarchical encoding
technique.
It is the third object of the present invention to
perform accounting processing in correspondence with
the traffic of a transmission line, and to prevent an
illicit act against information transmitted/received in
an image transmission system.
According to an embodiment of the present
invention, an image transmission system for
transmitting hierarchically encoded image information,
comprises selection means for selecting a layer of an
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image to be transmitted in correspondence with a
traffic of a transmission line for transmitting the
hierarchically encoded image information, and
accounting processing means for performing accounting
processing of the image information to be transmitted
in correspondence with the layer selected by the
selection means.
According to another embodiment, an image
transmission system which transmits image information,
which is hierarchically encoded to have different
resolutions in units of layers, between a transmission
terminal and a reception terminal, comprises a
reception terminal, which comprises traffic checking
means for checking a traffic of a transmission line for
transmitting the hierarchically encoded image
information, and resolution selection means for
selecting a resolution of an image to be transmitted in
correspondence with the checking result of the traffic
checking means, and a transmission terminal which
comprises accounting processing means for performing
accounting processing of the image information to be
transmitted in correspondence with the resolution
selected by the resolution selection means, and charge
storage means for storing a charge of the image
information.
According to still another embodiment, an image
transmission system which processes hierarchically
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encoded image information, comprises traffic checking
means for checking a traffic of a transmission line for
transmitting the hierarchically encoded image
information, resolution selection means for selecting a
resolution of an image to be transmitted in
correspondence with the checking result of the traffic
checking means, accounting processing means for
performing accounting processing of the image
information to be transmitted in correspondence with
the resolution selected by the resolution selection
means, and charge storage means for storing a charge of
the image information.
According to still another embodiment, an image
transmission system which processes hierarchically
encoded image information, comprises traffic checking
means for checking a traffic of a transmission line for
transmitting the hierarchically encoded image
information, resolution selection means for selecting a
resolution of an image to be transmitted in
correspondence with the checking result of the traffic
checking means, information volume measuring means for
measuring an information volume of the transmitted
image, accounting processing means for performing
accounting processing in correspondence with the
resolution selected by the resolution and the
information volume of the image information to be
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transmitted, and charge storage means for storing a
charge of the image information.
According to the above embodiment, the resolution
of an image to be transmitted is set in correspondence
with the traffic of the transmission line, and the
charge of the image can be calculated in correspondence
with the set resolution.
Furthermore, paying attention to the facts that
image information includes various image qualities,
appropriate accounting processing cannot be attained by
a single accounting system, and a technique for
changing the accounting system in correspondence with
the quality of an image is indispensable, the present
invention has as its object to provide such technique.
That is, reception apparatuses may reproduce images of
different qualities, and information beyond the
reproduction performance of the reproduction apparatus
may not be delivered to an intended user. Also, a user
may not want excessive information. In such cases, an
accounting system corresponding to a desired quality of
an image to be transmitted is required. Note that the
quality of an image means the number of frames per unit
time, the number of pixels of an image, and the number
of resolving powers of a dynamic range such as
chromaticity, saturation, and lightness levels of
pixels included in an image.
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It is, therefore, an object of the present
invention to provide a communication apparatus and a
communication system, which can perform accounting
processing in correspondence with the quality of an
image to be provided to~a user.
According to an embodiment of the present
invention, an apparatus comprises transmission means
for transmitting information including an image, and
accounting means for charging a receiver of the
information an amount for the quality of the image.
According to another embodiment of the present
invention, a communication system which communicates
image information via a network, comprises a receiver
of the image information, which comprises designation
means for designating an image quality of image
information to be received, and a transmitter, which
comprises accounting means for transmitting image
information corresponding to the image quality
designated by the receiver side, and performing
accounting processing in correspondence with the
designated image quality.
According to the above embodiment, a user is
charged an amount for the quality of an image to be
provided to him or her.
Also, the user can select the quality of an image
to be received by himself or herself.
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In addition, information for selecting an image to
be transmitted and its quality is ciphered, and is
deciphered at the receiver side so as to prevent a user
from disguising himself or herself as another user or
information from being altered, thus guaranteeing
security of information associated with accounting.
Furthermore, by measuring the processing time
required for ciphering and deciphering, the accounting
processing can be performed in correspondence with the
time required for reception.
Other objects and features of the present
invention will become apparent from the following
specification and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an
accounting unit according to the first embodiment of
the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the arrangement
of an accounting processing unit in the accounting unit
of the first embodiment;
Fig. 3 shows a charge table used by the accounting
unit of the first embodiment;
Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the arrangement
of an accounting processing unit in an accounting unit
according to the second embodiment of the present
invention;
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Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing another
arrangement of the accounting processing unit in the
accounting unit of the second embodiment;
Figs. 6A and 6B show accumulated charge tables
used by an accounting unit according to the third
embodiment of the present invention;
Figs. 7A and 7B are block diagrams showing the
arrangements of accounting processing units in
accounting units of the third embodiment;
Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing the overall
arrangement of an image transmission system according
to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 9 is a chart showing the operation sequence
of the image transmission system of the fourth
embodiment;
Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing the overall
arrangement of an image transmission system according
to the fifth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 11 is a chart showing the operation sequence
of the image transmission system of the fifth
embodiment;
Fig. 12 is a block diagram showing the overall
arrangement of an image transmission system according
to the sixth embodiment of the present invention;
f
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Fig. 13 is a chart showing the operation sequence
of the image transmission system of the sixth
embodiment;
Fig. 14 is a block diagram showing the entire
network according to the seventh embodiment of the
present invention;
Fig. 15 is a chart for explaining the accounting
sequence in the system of the seventh embodiment;
Fig. 16 is a diagram showing an example of the
concept of a multimedia network system to which the
present invention is applied;
Fig. 17 is a chart for explaining the accounting
sequence in a system according to the eighth embodiment
of the present invention;
Fig. 18 shows the general format of hierarchically
encoded data;
Fig. 19 is a functional block diagram showing an
accounting unit according to the first embodiment of
the present invention;
Fig. 20 shows an example of a charge table used by
the accounting unit of the first embodiment;
Fig. 21 is a block diagram showing the detailed
arrangement of the accounting unit of the first
embodiment;
Fig. 22 is a functional block diagram showing an
accounting unit according to the second embodiment of
the present invention;
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Fig. 23 is a block diagram showing the detailed
arrangement of the accounting unit of the second
embodiment;
Figs. 24A and 24H show examples of accumulated
charge tables used by an accounting unit according to
the third embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 25 is a block diagram showing the arrangement
of principal part of an image transmission system
according to the fourth embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 26 is a chart for explaining the operation of
the image transmission system of the fourth embodiment;
Fig. 27 is a block diagram showing the arrangement
of principal part of an image transmission system
according to the fifth embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 28 is a chart for explaining the operation of
the image transmission system of the fifth embodiment;
Fig. 29 is a block diagram showing the arrangement
of principal part of an image transmission system
according to the sixth embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 30 is a chart for explaining the operation of
the image transmission system of the sixth embodiment;
Fig. 31 is a block diagram showing the first
embodiment of the present invention;
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Fig. 32 is a view showing the format of an
accounting data base shown in Fig. 31;
Fig. 33 is a view showing the storage format of an
accumulated amount storage device shown in Fig. 31;
Fig. 34 is a diagram showing the arrangement of
the accounting device shown in Fig. 31;
Fig. 35 is a block diagram showing the second
embodiment of the present invention; and
Fig. 36 is a sequence chart showing the operation
of the system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The preferred embodiments of an image transmission
system according to the present invention will be
described below with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
In the embodiments to be described hereinafter,
the present invention is applied to an accounting unit
which can charge a user for an image in correspondence
with the resolution (layer) to cope with hierarchical
encoding in an image transmission system that transmits
hierarchically encoded image information via a
transmission line.
In particular, the first embodiment will explain
an accounting unit used in a charge system that sets
uniform charges in units of layers (resolutions) of
information.
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The second embodiment will explain an accounting
unit used in a charge system that takes into
consideration the information volume as well as the
layers (resolutions) of information.
The third embodiment will explain an accounting
unit used when accounts are settled at predetermined
time intervals in the first and second embodiments.
The fourth embodiment will explain a case wherein
the image provider side has one of the accounting units
described in the first to third embodiments.
The fifth embodiment will explain a case wherein
the image receiver side has one of the accounting units
described in the first to third embodiments.
The sixth embodiment will explain a case wherein
both the image provider and receiver sides have
corresponding ones of the accounting units described in
the first to third embodiments.
The seventh embodiment will explain a case wherein
the accounting units described in the first to sixth
embodiments are applied to communications between
equipments connected to a local area network.
The eighth embodiment will explain a case wherein
the accounting units described in the first to sixth
embodiments are applied to communications between
equipments connected to a wide area network.
The ninth embodiment will explain a case wherein a
cipher unit is combined with one of the accounting
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units described in the fourth to eighth embodiments so
as to protect information from being tapped or altered,
and to perform fair accounting processing.
The first embodiment of an image transmission
system according to the present invention will be
described below with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
In this embodiment, the present invention is
applied to realize an accounting unit used in a charge
system that sets charges in correspondence with the
respective resolutions (layers) in units of images to
cope with hierarchical encoding in an image
transmission system for transmitting hierarchically
encoded image information via a transmission line.
First, hierarchical encoding will be briefly
described below. Hierarchical encoding is known as an
encoding method which can efficiently cope with image
processing apparatuses with different resolutions upon
encoding image information, and is suitable for
retrieving desired images from an image data base.
In the following description, a reduced image that
roughly represents the overall image is encoded, and
subsequently, difference information used for enlarging
the reduced image in turn is encoded.
As a result, scalable encoding using different
resolutions can be realized to some extent. For
example, a reduced image with a small number of pixels
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may be displayed on a monitor, and a detailed image
with a large number of pixels using full information
may be printed.
Fig. 18 shows the general format of hierarchically
encoded data. Referring to Fig. 18, a field "head of
image" includes a header indicating the beginning of a
piece of image information as a whole. A field "header
of frame 1" includes a bit pattern indicating the
beginning of frame 1, and a field "frame 1" includes
information of layer 1 obtained by encoding an image
obtained by reducing an original image to the smallest
size.
A field "header of frame 2" includes a bit pattern
indicating the beginning of frame 2, and a field "frame
2" includes information of layer 2 as difference
information that enlarges an image of layer 1 or
increases its resolution.
Similarly, a field "header of frame n" includes a
bit pattern indicating the beginning of frame n, and a
field "frame n" includes information of layer n as
difference information that enlarges an image of layer
n-1 or increases its resolution.
As a typical encoding method, a JPEG hierarchical
encoding method is used. As for the JPEG, please refer
to ISO/IEC 10918-1, 10918 or ITU-T T.81, T.83. Such
encoding techniques are popularly used in a multimedia
network.
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Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the
arrangement of an accounting unit of this embodiment.
Referring to Fig. 1, an image transmission system 110
of this embodiment comprises an accounting unit 100,
which includes an accounting processing unit 101 which
fetches an image transmission request of a user
transmitted/received in the image transmission system,
and acquires accounting information from a storage unit
102 or notifies the storage unit 102 of such
information.
The storage unit 102 stores charge information and
use information to be referred to by the accounting
processing unit 101. The image transmission system 110
of this embodiment is constituted by a network, and
terminals such as computers, receivers, printers,
monitors, and the like, which are connected to the
network via lines or by radio.
Fig. 3 shows an example of a charge table stored
in the storage unit 102. In the charge table shown in
Fig. 3, for example, information Info 1 incurs charge
11 when it is provided at resolution 1, incurs charge
12 when it is provided at resolution 2,....
An operation for performing accounting processing
in a charge system that sets charges in units of
resolutions by the accounting unit of this embodiment
will be described below. In the following description,
a case will be exemplified wherein a user (or a
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terminal used by the user) requests a provider to
transmit image Info 1 at resolution 3.
In the first operation step, the accounting
processing unit 101 fetches information that requests
to transmit image Info 1 at resolution 3 by monitoring
messages transmitted/received in the image transmission
system or receiving a message from the image
transmission system.
In the second operation step, the accounting
processing unit 101 reads out charge 13 for providing
image Info 1 at resolution 3 from the charge table
(Fig. 3) stored in the storage unit 102.
In the third operation step, the accounting
processing unit 101 outputs charge 13 to the image
transmission system.
Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the arrangement
of the accounting processing unit. Referring to
Fig. 2, a CPU 201 processes input data from an I/O
interface 202 and generates commands to an external
apparatus in accordance with a program stored in a ROM
204 or a RAM 203.
The I/O interface 202 is used for exchanging
information with the image transmission system and for
inputting/outputting data to/from the storage unit.
The RAM 203 is used as a temporary memory of the CPU
201, and stores a program.
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The ROM 204 stores a program to be executed by the
CPU 201. When a program is loaded from a device
outside the accounting unit or the RAM 203 stares a
program, the ROM 204 may be omitted.
The CPU 201 to the ROM 204 exchange data via a bus
205. Note that the storage unit 102 can be realized by
using a storage device such as a magnetic storage
device, an optical storage device, a semiconductor
element, or the like.
The second embodiment of the present invention
will be described below with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
In this embodiment, the present invention is
applied to realize an accounting unit for a charge
system that sets charges per unit information volume in
correspondence with the respective resolutions (layers)
in units of images to cope with hierarchical encoding,
and obtains the charge on the basis of the unit charge
and the information volume of a transmitted image in an
image transmission system for transmitting
hierarchically encoded image information via a
transmission line.
Note that the arrangement of the accounting
processing unit of this embodiment is the same as that
shown in Fig. 1.
An operation of the accounting unit of this
embodiment for performing accounting processing in a
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charge system that sets charges per unit information
volume (unit charges) in correspondence with the
respective resolutions, and calculates the charge by
multiplying the unit charge with the information volume
of a transmitted image will be explained below. In the
following description, a case will be exemplified
wherein a user (a terminal used by the user) requests a
provider to transmit image Info 1 at resolution 3.
In the first operation step, the accounting
processing unit of this embodiment fetches information
that requests to transmit image Info 1 at resolution 3
by monitoring messages transmitted/received in the
image transmission system or receiving a message from
the image transmission system.
In the second operation step, the accounting
processing unit reads out unit charge 13 as a charge
per unit information volume for providing image Info 1
at resolution 3 from the charge table (Fig. 3) stored
in the storage unit.
In the third operation step, the accounting
processing unit measures the information volume of
image Info 1 which is being transmitted.
In the fourth operation step, upon completion of
transmission of image Info 1, the accounting processing
unit detects the end of image Info 1 which is being
transmitted to User L by the same method as in the
first operation step.
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Subsequently, in the fifth operation step, the
accounting processing unit calculates the charge on the
basis of unit charge 13 and the measured information
volume.
In the sixth operation step, the accounting
processing unit notifies the image transmission system
of the charge calculated in the fifth operation step.
In this case, the operations in the fifth and sixth
operation steps may be performed at an arbitrary timing
during image transmission in place of the
above-mentioned operations. Also, when an arrangement
shown in Fig. 4 is to be adopted, a charge system other
than the above system that calculates the charge by
simply multiplying the unit charge with the information
volume may be used.
Fig. 4 shows an example of the detailed
arrangement of the accounting processing unit of this
embodiment. A CPU 501 in Fig. 4 processes input data
from an I/O interface 502 and generates commands to an
external apparatus in accordance with a program stored
in a ROM 504 or a RAM 503.
The I/O interface 502 is used for exchanging
information with a communication partner in the image
transmission system of this embodiment, and
inputting/outputting data to/from the storage unit.
The RAM 503 is used as a temporary memory of the
CPU 501, and stores a program.
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The ROM 504 stores a program to be executed by the
CPU 501. When a program is loaded from a device
outside the accounting unit or the RAM 503 stores a
program, the ROM 504 may be omitted.
The CPU 501 to the ROM 504 exchange data via a bus
505.
A measuring instrument 506 is used for measuring
the volume of image information transmitted/received in
the image transmission system, and comprises, e.g., a
counter.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, for example, a
charge calculation or the like is performed by the CPU
501, and the operation step and the charge calculation
method therefor are stored in the RAM 503 or the ROM
504. The fetching operation of the message into the
accounting unit, charge notification, accesses to the
storage unit, and the like are made via the I/O
interface 502, and the volume of image information
transmitted in the image transmission system is
measured by the measuring instrument 506.
When the communication time is measured in place
of the information volume, and the charge is calculated
based on the unit charge and the measured time, the CPU
501 may perform measurements, and the measuring
instrument 506 may be omitted.
The accounting processing unit of this embodiment
may have an arrangement shown in Fig. 5. An I/O
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interface 701 shown in Fig. 5 fetches an image request
signal transmitted/received in the image transmission
system, reads out a unit charge from the charge table
(Fig. 3) by accessing the storage unit, inputs the
readout charge to a multiplier 702, and outputs the
charge calculated by the multiplier 702 to the image
transmission system.
The multiplier 702 calculates the product of the
unit charge of an image input from the I/O interface
701 and the information volume measured by a measuring
instrument 703, and outputs the value (product) as the
charge to the I/O interface 701.
The measuring instrument 703 measures the volume
of image information transmitted/received in the image
transmission system, and comprises, e.g., a counter,
timer, or the like.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, for example, a
charge calculation is performed by the multiplier 702,
and the fetching operation of the message corresponding
to a user's image request and charge notification are
made via the I/O interface 701.
The volume of image information transmitted in the
image transmission system is measured by the measuring
instrument 703. Note that the arrangement shown in
Fig. 5 is used when the product of the unit charge and
the information volume is calculated as a charge.
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The arrangement that realizes the accounting
processing unit of this embodiment is not limited to
those described above. For example, the multiplier 702
in Fig. 5 may be replaced by an arbitrary combination
of a multiplier, divider, adder, subtracter, and the
like, and the accounting processing unit as a whole may
be constituted as a single device.
The third embodiment of the present invention will
be described below with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
In this embodiment, the present invention is
applied to allow a user to settle accounts at
predetermined time intervals by calculating an
accumulated charge in the first and second embodiments
described above.
Note that the arrangement of the accounting unit
of this embodiment is also substantially the same as
that shown in Fig. 1.
Figs. 6A and 6B show examples of accumulated
amount tables stored in the storage unit of this
embodiment. For example, Fig. 6A shows an accumulated
amount table used when the accounting unit is arranged
in a terminal on the image provider side, and
exemplifies a case wherein only Charge A of those for
images provided to User A is not paid yet, only Charge
B of those for images provided to User B is not paid
yet,....
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Also, for example, Fig. 6B shows an accumulated
amount table used when the accounting unit is arranged
in a terminal of the user side, and exemplifies a case
wherein only Charge A of those for images provided from
provider A is not paid yet, only Charge B of those for
images provided from provider H is not paid yet,....
A sequence for calculating the accumulated amount
of charges each calculated based on the unit charge and
the information volume by the accounting unit of this
embodiment will be described below. In the following
description, a case will be exemplified wherein User L
(user or a user's terminal) requests provider A to
transmit image Info 1 at resolution 3.
In the first operation step, the accounting
processing unit fetches information that requests to
transmit image Info 1 at resolution 3 by monitoring
messages transmitted/received in the image transmission
system or receiving a message from the image
transmission system.
In the second operation step, the accounting
processing unit reads out unit charge 13 as a charge
per unit information volume for providing image Info 1
at resolution 3 from a charge table (Fig. 3) stored in
the storage unit.
In the third operation step, the accounting
processing unit measures the information volume of
image Info 1 which is being transmitted.
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In the fourth operation step, upon completion of
transmission of image Info 1, the accounting processing
unit detects the end of image Info 1 which is being
transmitted to User L by the same method as in the
first operation step.
In the fifth operation step, the accounting
processing unit calculates the charge on the basis of
unit charge 13 and the measured information volume.
In the sixth operation step, the accounting
processing unit notifies the image transmission system
of the charge.
In the seventh operation step, the accounting
processing unit reads out the accumulated charge of
User L (or provider A) from an accumulated charge table
stored in the storage unit or managed by the image
transmission system.
In the eighth operation step, the accounting
processing unit calculates the sum of the readout
accumulated charge and the charge of the newly provided
image as a new accumulated charge.
In the ninth operation step, the accounting
processing unit updates the accumulated charge for User
L (or provider A) recorded on the accumulated charge
table (Fig. 6A or 6B) with the accumulated charge
calculated in the eighth operation step. In the
above-mentioned operation example, the charge is
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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determined based on the resolution of an image to be
provided and the information volume.
Note that this embodiment also includes the
following cases. That is, by changing the charge
table, a fixed charge in units of images is read out in
place of the unit charge in the second operation step,
the third and fifth operation steps are skipped, and
the sum of the accumulated charge read out in the
seventh operation step and charge 13 is set as a new
accumulated charge in the eighth operation step.
Also, the fifth and sixth operation steps are
performed parallel to the third operation step.
Furthermore, some or all of the seventh to ninth
operation steps are performed~parallel to the second to
sixth operation steps.
Moreover, one of the sixth and ninth operation
steps is performed.
In addition, in the ninth operation step, the
accounting processing unit outputs the accumulated
charge calculated in the eighth operation step to the
image transmission system.
The accounting processing unit of this embodiment
may adopt an arrangement shown in Fig. 7A or 7B.
Referring to Fig. 7A, an I/O interface 1101 is used for
fetching an image request signal transmitted/received
in the image transmission system of this embodiment,
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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and reading out a charge from a charge table (e. g.,
Fig. 3) by accessing the storage unit.
Also, the I/O interface 1101 is used for reading
out the accumulated charge stored in the storage unit
or managed by the image transmission system, inputting
the readout charge and accumulated charge to an adder
1103, and outputting the readout charge or the charge
calculated by the adder 1103 to the image transmission
system.
The adder 1103 calculates the sum of the charge
for an image input from the I/O interface 1101 and the
accumulated charge, and outputs the value (sum) as a
charge to the I/O interface 1101.
Referring to Fig. 7B, an I/O interface 1111 is
used for fetching an image request signal
transmitted/received in the image transmission system
of this embodiment, reading out a unit charge from a
charge table (e. g., Fig. 3) by accessing the storage
unit, and inputting the readout charge to a multiplier
1112.
Also, the I/O interface 1111 is used for reading
out the accumulated charge from an accumulated charge
table (Fig. 6A or 6B), inputting the readout charge and
accumulated charge to an adder 1113, and outputting a
charge calculated by the multiplier 112 to the image
transmission system or outputting the charge calculated
by the adder 1113 to the image transmission system.
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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The multiplier 1112 calculates the product of the
unit charge of an image input from the I/O interface
1111 and the information volume measured by a measuring
instrument 1114, and outputs the value (product) as a
charge to the I/O interface 1111 or the adder 1113.
The adder 1113 calculates the sum of the
accumulated charge input from the I/O interface 1111
and the charge supplied from the multiplier 1112 as a
new accumulated charge, and outputs it to the I/O
interface 1111.
The measuring instrument 1114 measures the volume
of image information transmitted/received in the image
transmission system of this embodiment, and comprises,
e.g., a counter.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 7A or 7B, for
example, a charge calculation is performed by the
multiplier 1112 and the adder 1113, and the fetching
operation of a message corresponding to a user's image
request and charge notification are made via the I/O
interface 1111.
Also, the volume of image information transmitted
in the image transmission system of this embodiment is
measured by the measuring instrument 1114. Note that
the arrangement shown in Fig. 7A is used when the
information volume is not taken into consideration, and
the arrangement shown in Fig. 7B is used when the
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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product of the unit charge and the information volume
is set as a charge.
The arrangement that realizes the accounting
processing unit of this embodiment is not limited to
the above-mentioned arrangements, but various
modifications may be made. For example, in Fig. 7A or
7B, the multiplier 1112 and the adder 1113 may be
replaced by an arbitrary combination of a multiplier,
divider, adder, subtracter, and the like, and the
accounting processing unit as a whole may be
constituted as a single device.
The fourth embodiment of an image transmission
system according to the present invention will be
described below with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 8 shows a case wherein an image provider (or
his or her terminal device) has one of the accounting
units described in the first to third embodiments.
Referring to Fig. 8, a transmission terminal
device 1201 on the image provider side comprises a
computer such as a personal computer, a workstation, or
the like, or an image transmitter who has an accounting
unit.
An accounting unit 1202 is equivalent to one of
the accounting units described in the first to third
embodiments, and a reception terminal device 1203 on
the user side comprises a computer such as a personal
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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computer, a workstation, or the like, or an image
receiver.
The operation of this embodiment will be described
below with reference to Fig. 9. In the following
description, a case will be exemplified wherein User L
(the reception terminal device 1203) requests provider
A (the transmission terminal device 1201) to transmit
image Info 1 at resolution 3 when the accounting unit
of the second embodiment is used.
In the first operation step (S1], User L transmits
a message that requests provider A to transmit image
Info 1 at resolution 3 to provider A via a transmission
line (the message will be referred to as an image
transmission request message hereinafter). When the
image transmission request message is received by the
terminal device 1201 of provider A, the accounting unit
1202 fetches the image transmission request message
from the transmission terminal equipment 1201.
In the second operation step [S2], the accounting
unit 1202 reads out, from a charge table (Fig. 3), unit
charge 13 incurred when image Info 1 is provided at
resolution 3.
In the third operation step (S3], the transmission
terminal device 1201 transmits hierarchically encoded
image data Info 1 at resolution 3 to User L via the
transmission line. At the same time, the accounting
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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unit 1202 measures the information volume of Info 1,
which is being transmitted.
In the fourth operation step [S4], the accounting
unit 1202 monitors Info 1 which is being transmitted.
When the accounting unit 1202 recognizes the end of
transmission of Info 1 to User L by detecting a bit
pattern indicating the end of the image or receiving a
message indicating the end of transmission of Info 1 to
User L from the transmission terminal device 1201, it
calculates the charge for User L on the basis of the
information amount of Info 1 provided to User L and
unit charge 13.
In the fifth operation step [S5], the accounting
unit 1202 outputs the charge information calculated in
the fourth operation step [S4] to the transmission
terminal device 1201. The transmission terminal device
1201 notifies User L of the charge via the transmission
line.
In the sixth operation step [S6], the charge is
paid.
Note that this embodiment also includes the
following cases.
More specifically, in the first operation step
[S1], upon requesting an image, the user may designate
a terminal device (or an image processing apparatus) as
a destination of the image, and provider A may transmit
image information to the designated destination.
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In the second operation step [S2], after unit
charge 13 is read out, the readout unit charge
information may be output to the transmission terminal
device 1201, and may then be transmitted to User L via
the transmission line.
In the third operation step [S3], the charge
incurred so far may be calculated based on unit charge
13 and the information volume at that time, and the
calculated charge information may be output to the
transmission terminal device 1201 to notify provider A
or User L of the charge.
The accounting unit 1202 may be realized by
utilizing a CPU, a memory, a storage device, and the
like of the transmission terminal device 1201.
The accounting unit of the first or third
embodiment may be adopted.
The fifth embodiment of the present invention will
be described below with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 10 shows a case wherein a user (or his or her
terminal device) has one of the accounting units
described in the first to third embodiment.
Referring to Fig. 10, a transmission terminal
device 1401 on the image provider side comprises a
computer such as a personal computer, a workstation, or
the like, or an image transmitter, which comprises an
accounting unit.
'. ,
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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An accounting unit 1402 i.s equivalent to one of
those described in the first to third embodiments
described above. A reception terminal device 1403 on
the receiver side comprises a computer such as a
personal computer, a workstation, or the like, or an
image receiver.
The operation of this embodiment will be described
below with reference to Fig. 11. In the following
description, a case will be exemplified wherein User L
(the reception terminal device 1403) requests provider
A (the transmission terminal device 1401) to transmit
image Info 1 at resolution 3 when the accounting unit
of the second embodiment is used.
In the first operation step [S1], User L transmits
a message that requests provider A to transmit image
Info 1 at resolution 3 to provider A via a transmission
line (the message will be referred to as an image
transmission request message hereinafter). The
accounting unit 1402 fetches the image transmission
request message from the reception terminal device
1403.
In the second operation step [S2], the accounting
unit 1402 acquires unit charge 13 incurred when image
Info 1 is provided at resolution 3, with reference to a
charge table (Fig. 3) stored in a storage unit in the
accounting unit 1402.
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In the third operation step [S3], the transmission
terminal device 1401 transmits hierarchically encoded
image data Info 1 at resolution 3, and the reception
terminal device 1403 receives data Info 1. The
accounting unit 1402 measures the information volume of
Info 1 which is being received.
In the fourth operation step [S4], the accounting
unit 1402 monitors Info 1 which is being received, and
recognizes the end of transmission of Info 1 from
provider A by detecting a bit pattern indicating the
end of the image or receiving a message indicating the
end of reception of Info 1 from provider A from the
reception terminal device 1403. Then, the accounting
unit 1402 calculates the charge payable to provider A
on the basis of the information volume of Info 1
received from provider A, and unit charge 13.
In the fifth operation step [S5], the charge
information calculated in the fourth operation step
[S4] is output to the reception terminal device 1403.
In the sixth operation step [S6], the charge is
paid.
Note that this embodiment also includes the
following cases.
More specifically, in the first operation step
[S1], upon requesting an image provider to transmit an
image, a user may designate a terminal device (or image
processing apparatus) as a destination, and provider A
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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transmits image information to the designated
destination. This case further includes the following
two cases.
In the first case, the user has an accounting
unit. In this case, the user (or his or her accounting
unit) is notified of the start of transmission of an
image from the destination or the image provider before
the image begins to be provided (the second operation
step [S2]), so as to start an accounting operation, and
is also notified of the end of transmission of the
image upon completion of providing the image (the
fourth operation step [S4]), so as to end the
accounting operation. As for the information volume,
the user is notified of it from the destination or the
provider.
In the second case, the destination designated by
the user has an accounting unit. In this case, the
user also transmits an image transmission request
message to the destination in the first operation step
[S1], and the accounting unit of the destination
fetches the image transmission request message. The
accounting unit of the destination notifies the
provider or user of the charge in the fifth operation
step [S5].
In the second operation step [S2], after unit
charge 13 is read out, the readout charge information
may be output to the reception terminal device 1403,
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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and may be displayed on the reception terminal device
1403, thus notifying User L of the unit charge.
In the third operation step [S3], the charge
incurred so far may be calculated on the basis of unit
charge 13 and the information volume of Info 1 received
at that time, and the calculated charge may be output
to and displayed by the reception terminal device 1403,
thus notifying User L of the charge.
The accounting unit 1402 may be realized by
utilizing a CPU, a memory, a storage device, and the
like of the reception terminal device 1403.
Furthermore, the accounting unit of the first or third
embodiment may be used.
The sixth embodiment of the present invention will
be described below with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 12 shows a case wherein both an image
provider (or his or her terminal device) and a user (or
his or her terminal device) have corresponding ones of
the accounting units described in the first to third
embodiments above.
Referring to Fig. 12, a transmission terminal
device 1601 on the image provider side comprises a
computer such as a personal computer, a workstation, or
the like, or an image transmitter, which comprises an
accounting unit 1602.
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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The accounting unit 1602 is equivalent to one of
the accounting units described in the first to third
embodiments. A reception terminal device 1603 on the
user side comprises a computer such as a personal
computer, a workstation, or the like, or an image
receiver, which comprises an accounting unit 1604. The
accounting unit 1604 is equivalent to one of the
accounting units described in the first to third
embodiments.
The operation of this embodiment will be described
below with reference to Fig. 13. In the following
description, a case will be exemplified wherein User L
(the reception terminal device 1603) requests provider
A (the transmission terminal device 1601) to transmit
image Info 1 at resolution 3 when the accounting unit
of the second embodiment is used.
In the first operation step [S1], User L transmits
a message that requests provider A to transmit image
Info 1 at resolution 3 to provider A via a transmission
line (the message will be referred to as an image
transmission request message hereinafter).
When the image transmission request message is
received by the transmission terminal device 1601 of
provider A, the accounting unit 1603 fetches the image
transmission request message from the transmission
terminal device 1601.
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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Also, the accounting unit 1604 on the User L side
fetches the image transmission request message from the
reception terminal device 1603.
In the second operation step [S2], the accounting
unit 1602 on the provider A side reads out unit charge
13 incurred when image Info 1 is provided at resolution
3 from a charge table (Fig. 3).
Similarly, the accounting unit 1604 on the User L
side obtains unit charge 13 with reference to a charge
table (Fig. 3).
In the third operation step (S3J, the transmission
terminal device 1601 reads out hierarchically encoded
image data Info 1 at resolution 3, and transmits it to
User L via the transmission line. The accounting unit
1602 measures the information volume of data Info 1,
which is being transmitted.
The reception terminal device 1603 receives data
Info 1. The accounting unit 1604 measures the
information volume of data Info 1, which is being
received.
In the fourth operation step [S4], the accounting
unit 1602 monitors data Info 1 which is being
transmitted. When the accounting unit 1602 recognizes
the end of transmission of Info 1 to User L by
detecting a bit pattern indicating the end of the image
or receiving a message indicating the end of
transmission of Info 1 to User L from the transmission
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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terminal device 1601, it calculates the charge for User
L on the basis of the information amount of Info 1
provided to User L and unit charge 13.
The accounting unit 1604 monitors Info 1 which is
being received, and recognizes the end of transmission
of Info 1 from provider A by detecting a bit pattern
indicating the end of the image or receiving a message
indicating the end of reception of Info 1 from provider
A from the reception terminal device 1603. Then, the
accounting unit 1604 calculates the charge payable to
provider A on the basis of the information volume of
Info 1 received from provider A, and unit charge 13.
In the fifth operation step [S5], the accounting
unit 1602 outputs the charge calculated in the
above-mentioned fourth operation step [S4] to the
transmission terminal device 1601. The transmission
terminal device 1601 notifies User L of the charge via
the transmission line.
The accounting unit 1604 outputs the charge
calculated in the above-mentioned fourth operation step
[S4] to the reception terminal device 1603. The
reception terminal device 1603 notifies User L of the
charge by displaying it.
In the sixth operation step [S6], the charge is
paid.
Note that this embodiment also includes the
following cases.
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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More specifically, upon requesting an image
provider to transmit an image, a user may designate a
terminal device (or image processing apparatus) as a
destination, and provider A transmits image information
to the designated destination. This case further
includes the following two cases.
In the first case, the provider and user have
accounting units. In this case, the user (or his or
her accounting unit) is notified of the start of
transmission of an image from the destination or the
image provider before the image begins to be provided
(the second operation step [S2]), so as to start an
accounting operation. Furthermore, the user is also
notified of the end of transmission of the image upon
completion of providing the image (the fourth operation
step [S4]), so as to end the accounting operation. As
for the information volume, the user is notified from
the destination or the provider.
In the second case, the provider and the
destination designated by the user have accounting
units. In this case, the user also transmits an image
transmission request message to the destination in the
first operation step [S1], and the accounting unit of
the destination fetches the image transmission request
message. Alternatively, the accounting unit of the
destination may notify the user of the charge in the
fifth operation step [S5].
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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In the second operation step [S2], the accounting
unit 1604 may read out unit charge 13 and may output it
to the reception terminal device 1603. The reception
terminal device 1603 may display the received charge
information, thus notifying User L of the charge.
In the third operation step [S3], the accounting
unit 1604 calculates the charge incurred so far on the
basis of unit charge 13 and the information volume of
Info 1 received at that time, and may output and
display the charge on the reception terminal device
1603, thus notifying User L of the calculated charge.
In the fifth operation step [S5], notification of
the charge from provider A (the transmission terminal
device 1601) to User L (user) may be omitted.
The accounting unit 1602 may be realized by
utilizing a CPU, a memory, a storage device, and the
like of the transmission terminal device 1601.
The accounting unit 1604 may similarly be realized
by utilizing a CPU, a memory, a storage device, and the
like of the reception terminal device 1603.
The accounting unit of the first or third
embodiment may be used.
All the networks using the above-mentioned
accounting unit are embodiments according to the
present invention. Especially, a preferred embodiment
of a network using the accounting unit of this
embodiment will be explained below.
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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The seventh embodiment of the present invention
will be described below with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Fig. 14 is a block diagram showing the entire
network of this embodiment. Referring to Fig. 14, an
ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode; to be described later)
network 1801 transfers data in the ATM.
Local area networks (LANs) 1802 and 1803 using
Ethernet or the like transfer data in a mode other than
the ATM. To these networks, for example, the following
apparatuses are connected.
A facsimile apparatus 1804 is connected to the ATM
network and LAN. A color printer 1805 has an internal
page memory. A color copying machine 1806 includes a
color scanner and a color printer. The color copying
machine 1806 also includes a page memory for storing
image data of an original read by the color scanner,
and a circuit for reading out data written in the page
memory and supplying the readout data to the printer.
A file server 1807 temporarily stores image data
input via the ATM network. A workstation 1808
inputs/outputs data to/from the file server. A
terminal device 1809 is connected to the ATM network.
The terminal device 1809 exchanges data with the
above-mentioned LANs and performs various processing
operations such as editing for image data. The
terminal device 1809 is also connected to the printer
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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1805 via the network line (LAN) 1803 or a dedicated
line. A server 1810 has the same arrangement as that
of the file server 1807.
The server 1810 is connected to a color copying
machine 1811 similar to the above-mentioned color
copying machine 1806.
A digital television 1812 is connected to the ATM
network. The digital television 1812 receives data via
the ATM network, and displays the data as a visible
image on its display device.
A VTR 1813 receives image data via the ATM
network.
A center station 1814 such as a CATV station
outputs various software data and image data to the ATM
network.
A first router 1815 connects another ATM network
to the ATM network, and a second router 1816 connects
another LAN.
An ATM network switch (not shown) is arranged
between the ATM network and each of the apparatuses
connected to the ATM network such as the facsimile
apparatus 1804, the printer 1805, the color copying
machine 1807, and the like. Note that these
apparatuses comprise accounting units described in the
first to the third embodiments as needed.
Fig. 15 shows as an example a case wherein the
center station 1814 comprises an accounting unit
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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(fourth embodiment), and the terminal device 1809 as a
user issues a request to the center station 1814 as a
transmitter while designating the digital television
1812 as an image destination, so as to explain the
accounting operation in the above-mentioned
arrangement.
In the first operation step [S1], the terminal
device 1809 issues a transmission request to the center
station 1814, and designates an image, its resolution,
and the digital television 1812 as its destination.
At this time, the accounting unit fetches the
transmission request from the center station 1814 that
received the transmission request.
In the second operation step [S2], the center
station 1814 transmits image data to the digital
television 1812, and the digital television 1812
receives the image data.
At this time, the accounting operation is executed
as in the fourth embodiment, and the charge to be paid
by the terminal device 1809 (or its user) to the center
station 1814 is calculated.
In the third operation step [S3], the terminal
device 1809 or the digital television 1812 sends a
transmission termination request to the center station
1814 when it wants to terminate data reception during
transmission of the image.
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In the fourth operation step [S4], the center
station 1814 terminates supply of image data in
accordance with the transmission termination request.
The accounting unit ends its accounting operation
by detecting the end of supply of the image data.
In the fifth operation step [S5], the center
station 1814 notifies the terminal device 1809 of the
charge calculated using the accounting unit.
In the sixth operation step [S6], payment of the
charge is performed between the center station 1814 and
the terminal device 1809.
If data transfer is performed bidirectionally, an
accounting operation similar to that described above is
performed while replacing the transmitting and
receiving sides each other.
Note that this embodiment also includes the
following cases.
More specifically, when the terminal device 1809
comprises an accounting unit without arranging any
accounting unit in the center station 1814, the
accounting unit may fetch the transmission request from
the terminal device 1809 in the first operation step
[S1].
When an image begins to be provided, the center
station 1814 or the digital television 1812 supplies a
message indicating the start of image provision to the
terminal device 1809. Upon completion of image
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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provision, the center station 1814 or the digital
television 1812 supplies a message indicating the end
of image provision to the terminal device 1809.
The accounting unit starts the accounting
operation as described in the fourth embodiment upon
detection of the message indicating the start of image
provision, and ends the accounting operation upon
detection of the message indicating the end of image
provision. In this case, the fifth operation step [S5]
of this embodiment is omitted.
When the digital television 1812 comprises an
accounting unit without arranging any accounting unit
in the center station 1814 or the terminal device 1809,
the accounting unit fetches the transmission request
from the digital television 1812 in the first operation
step [S1]. In this case, the accounting operation is
performed, as described in the fifth embodiment. In
the fifth operation step [S5] of this embodiment, the
digital television 1812 notifies one or both of the
center station 1814 and the terminal device 1809 of the
charge.
The operation executed when at least both the
center station 1814 and the terminal device 1809
comprise accounting units is apparent from that
explained in the sixth embodiment. In this case, data
exchange not only between the center station and the
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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digital television but also between other terminal
devices can be charged.
The eighth embodiment of the present invention
will be described below. Fig. 16 shows an example of
the concept of a multimedia network system to which the
present invention is applied.
Referring to Fig. 16, a B-ISDN network 2001 using
a high-speed public network and a cable television
(CATV) network 2002 are connected to each other via
LANs (local area networks) 2003 and 2004.
Ground-based stations 2011 and 2012 perform
information communications via a communication
satellite 2005. Information providers 2021 and 2022
provide various kinds of multimedia information such as
video information, audio information and the like by
utilizing these communication networks, and charge for
the information provided. Users 2031 to 2039 utilize
information provided by the information providers and
pay charges for the information.
The B-ISDN network 2001, the CATV network 2002,
the LANs 2003 and 2004, and the communication satellite
2005 are connected to each other and can exchange
information with each other (bidirectional
communications). The information providers 2021 and
2022, and the users 2031 to 2039 are connected to
corresponding ones of these communication networks.
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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The information providers 2021 and 2022 have
accounting units described in the first to third
embodiments. Since bidirectional communications can be
made, if both the information providers and users have
accounting units, an information provider may become a
user and vice versa.
The accounting unit may be incorporated in each
apparatus, may be inserted between each apparatus and
the network, or may be connected to each apparatus as
an external device.
A case will be explained below with reference to
Fig. 17 wherein the user 2039 subscribes to the use of
information provided by the information provider 2022,
and the user 2039 is charged for information provided
by the information provider 2022 when only the provider
has an accounting unit. In the following description,
the transmission line includes the second LAN 2004, the
B-ISDN network 2001, the CATV network 2002, and the
first LAN 2003.
In the first operation step [S1], the user 2039
sends an image transmission request to the information
provider 2022 via the transmission line.
In the second operation step [S2], the information
provider 2022 provides hierarchically encoded image
information to the user 2039 via the transmission line
in accordance with the request sent from the user 2039.
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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During this interval, the accounting operation
described in the fourth embodiment is executed.
In the third operation step [S3], the user 2039
sends a transmission termination request when he or she
wants to terminate reception of image during
transmission of the image.
In the fourth operation step [S4], the information
provider terminates transmission of an image in
accordance with the transmission termination request.
Also, the accounting unit terminates the
above-mentioned accounting operation.
In the fifth operation step [S5], the charge
incurred is paid.
When the user has an accounting unit in the
above-mentioned network, the accounting unit described
in the fifth embodiment operates. On the other hand,
when both the provider and the user have accounting
units, the accounting units described in the sixth
embodiment operate. As can be seen from the above
description, similar accounting processing can be made
for other users and other information providers.
The ninth embodiment of the present invention will
be described below. In an image transmission system of
this embodiment, when information (an image request
signal, image information, information relating to
accounting, and the like) is transmitted via a
transmission line between a transmitting station and a
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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receiving station, the following breaches of security
may be attempted by ill-disposed persons:
1. A third party taps image information without
paying charges for the received information.
2. A third party disguises himself or herself as
another receiving station, and requests and receives
information.
3. A receiving station falsifies charge
information for payment after information is received.
4. A receiving station forges receipt information
without paying charges for the received information.
As countermeasures against such illicit acts, the
accounting unit described in the first to eighth
embodiment may be combined with the following cipher
unit. In this case, in Figs. 8, 10, and 12, the
transmission terminal device and the reception terminal
device can comprise the following cipher unit. The
cipher unit may be assigned to image data in units of
hierarchical layers, and the operation time of the
cipher unit and the information volume processed by the
cipher unit may be used as parameters for charge
calculations.
The cipher technique will be explained below. The
cipher technique can be roughly classified into a
common key cipher system and a public key cipher
system. The common and public key cipher systems will
be described below.
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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The common key cipher system will be described
first. The common key cipher system is a cipher system
in which a transmitter and a receiver share an
identical cipher key in secrecy (also called a secret
key cipher system, a symmetric cipher system, or a
usual cipher system).
The common key cipher system can be classified
into a block cipher for ciphering data in units of
character strings (blocks) each having an appropriate
length using an identical key, and a stream cipher that
changes keys in units of character strings or bits.
The block cipher includes a transposition cipher
for ciphering data by transposing the order of
characters, a substitution cipher for ciphering data by
substituting characters with other characters, and the
like. In this case, a correspondence table for
transposition or substitution serves as a cipher key.
As the stream cipher, a Vigenere cipher using multiple
tables, a Vernam cipher using a key which is used only
once, and the like are known (for the details of the
ciphers, refer to Chapters 2 and 4 of Ikeno & Koyama,
"Theory of Modern Cipher", The institute of
Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers
(1986)).
Of the block cipher, ciphers such as DES (Data
Encryption Standard), FEAL (Fast data Encipherment
Algorithm), and the like, whose algorithms are open to
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the public (for the details, Tsujii & Kasahara, "Cipher
and Information Security", Shokodo, 1990) are widely
used as commercial ciphers.
The public key cipher system will be explained
below. The public key cipher system is a cipher system
in which an encipher key and a decipher key are
different from each other, the encipher key is open to
public, and the decipher key is held in secrecy. The
features of the public key cipher are as summarized in
(1), (2), and (3)~ below.
(1) Since an encipher key and a decipher key are
different from each other and the encipher key can be
open to the public, the encipher key need not be
distributed in secrecy, resulting in easy key
distribution.
(2) Since the encipher keys of users are open to
the public, each user need only store his or her own
decipher key in secrecy.
(3) An authentication function with which a
receiver confirms if the transmitter of a sent message
is not a pretender and the message is not forged can be
realized. This function is also called a digital
signature. As typical systems, the following cipher
systems have been proposed.
That is, RSA cipher, R cipher, W cipher, MI
cipher, MH cipher, GS cipher, CR cipher, M cipher, E
cipher, T cipher, S cipher, L cipher, GMY cipher, GMR
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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cipher, OSS cipher, OS cipher, and the like are known
(for the details of the ciphers, refer to Chapters 5 to
8 of Ikeno & Koyama, "Theory of Modern Cipher", The
institute of Electronics, Information and Communication
Engineers (1986)).
As described above, according to the above
embodiments of the present invention, since accounting
processing can be performed in correspondence with the
resolution of image information, an accounting system
that can fully utilize the features such as the types
and qualities of information and services can be
realized. With this system, various kinds of
information and services can be copied with.
According to the above embodiments of the present
invention, accounting processing can be performed in
correspondence with the hierarchical encoding
technique.
According to another feature, an illicit act
against information transmitted/received in an image
transmission system can be prevented.
According to another feature, the transmission
format of data can be designated in correspondence with
the traffic state of a network.
The preferred embodiments of another image
transmission system according to the present invention
will be described below.
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In the embodiments to be described below, the
present invention is applied to set the resolutions
(layers) of an image to be transmitted in
correspondence with the traffic of a transmission line
and to set the charge for the image in accordance with
the resolution to cope with hierarchical encoding in a
transmission system that transmits hierarchically
encoded image information via the transmission line.
In particular, the first embodiment of this system
will explain in detail an accounting unit that performs
accounting processing in a charge system that uniformly
charges in units of layers (resolutions) of
information.
The second embodiment will explain in detail an
accounting unit used in a charge system that takes into
consideration the information volume as well as the
layers (resolutions) of information.
The third embodiment will explain in detail an
accounting unit used when accounts are settled at
predetermined time intervals in the first and second
embodiments.
The fourth embodiment will explain in detail a
case wherein the image provider side has one of the
accounting units described in the first to third
embodiments.
The fifth embodiment will explain in detail a case
wherein the image receiver side has one of the
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accounting units described in the first to third
embodiments.
The sixth embodiment will explain in detail a case
wherein both the image provider and receiver sides have
corresponding ones of the accounting units described in
the first to third embodiments.
The seventh embodiment will explain in detail a
case wherein the accounting units described in the
first to sixth embodiments are applied to
communications between equipments connected to a local
area network.
The eighth embodiment will explain in detail a
case wherein the accounting units described in the
first to sixth embodiments are applied to
communications between equipments connected to a wide
area network.
The ninth embodiment will explain in detail a case
wherein a cipher unit is combined with one of the
accounting units described in the fourth to eighth
embodiments so as to protect information from being
tapped or altered, and to perform fair accounting
processing.
The first embodiment of this system according to
the present invention will be described below with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
The operation of the image transmission system
will be briefly described below. First, the
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above-mentioned hierarchical encoding is performed for
an image to be transmitted.
Second, the use condition of a transmission line
is checked, and if a sufficient capacity is available,
frames of all the layers of the image information are
transmitted.
On the other hand, if a sufficient capacity for
sending information of all the layers is not available,
information is transmitted in the order from
information of layer 1 to those of upper layers within
the range that the currently available capacity of the
transmission line allows. Such transmission method
becomes an important element technique upon processing
of multimedia information in, e.g., a LAN.
However, this system does not depend on the type
or quality of information or services, and does not
perform accounting processing to cope with
hierarchically encoded image data. The present
invention has been made in consideration of such
situation, and has as its object to realize accounting
processing that can cope with the hierarchical encoding
technique.
Fig. 19 is a functional block diagram showing
principal part of an accounting unit according to an
image transmission system of the present invention.
Referring to Fig. 19, an image transmission system 110
comprises an accounting unit 100. A control unit 101
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fetches image transmission requests from users
transmitted/received in the image transmission system,
controls the operations of a traffic checking unit 102,
a resolution (transmission mode) selecting unit 103,
and an accounting processing unit 104, and also
controls to notify the selecting unit 103 and the
accounting processing unit 104 of an identifier (the
name or code for specifying an image) of a requested
image.
The traffic checking unit 102 checks the
transmittable capacity (traffic information) at that
time by monitoring the image transmission system 110 or
by inquiring of the image transmission system 110 as to
information associated with the traffic managed
thereby, and notifies the resolution selecting unit 103
of the checking result.
The resolution selecting unit 103 receives the
identifier of a requested image from the control unit
101 and traffic information of the image transmission
system from the traffic checking unit 102, selects a
resolution upon transmission of the image in accordance
with the traffic information (the resolution selecting
method will be described later), and notifies the
accounting processing unit 104 and the image
transmission system 110, which perform accounting
processing, of the selected resolution.
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The accounting processing unit 104 fetches an
image identifier from the control unit 101, and also
fetches resolution information from the resolution
selecting unit 103. The accounting processing unit 104
reads out a charge corresponding to the fetched image
identifier and resolution information from a storage
unit 105, and notifies the image transmission system
110 of the readout charge information.
The storage unit 105 stores charge information of
images to be referred to by the accounting processing
unit 104.
The image transmission system 110 is constituted
by a network, and terminals such as computers,
receivers, printers, monitors, and the like, which are
connected to the network via lines or by radio. Note
that the respective functions need not always be
divided as described above, but a plurality of
functional blocks may constitute a single functional
block, or an arbitrary one of the above-mentioned
functional blocks may be divided into a plurality of
blocks.
The traffic checking method in the traffic
checking unit 102 will be described below while taking
as an example a case wherein the image transmission
system 110 is realized by an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer
Mode).
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The traffic checking unit 102 inquires of the
image transmission system 110 as to whether or not data
can be transmitted at a certain transmission rate Cr.
If the image transmission system 110 denies
transmission at the transmission rate Cr, the unit 102
inquires of the image transmission system 110 as to
transmission at a transmission rate C'r (C'r < Cr)
until permission is granted. On the other hand, if the
image transmission system 110 grants permission to
transmit at the transmission rate Cr, the unit 102 sets
the transmission rate Cr as a checking value.
In an image transmission system constituted by
another network system, a traffic checking method other
than that mentioned above may be performed in
correspondence with the network. More specifically,
the traffic checking method of this embodiment is not
limited to the above-mentioned example of the ATM.
An example of the resolution selecting method in
the resolution selecting unit 103 will be explained
below.
The resolution selecting unit 103 receives
information associated with the traffic of the image
transmission system 110 from the traffic checking unit
102, and also receives the identifier of a requested
image from the control unit 101.
The resolution selecting unit 103 compares
transmission capacities (information stored in the
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storage unit 105 will be described later with reference
to Fig. 20) required for transmitting the requested
image at the respective resolutions and the traffic
(transmittable capacity) of the image transmission
system by accessing the storage unit 105, and
determines the resolution upon transmission of the
image in the following sequence.
Let Cr be the transmittable capacity calculated by
the traffic checking unit 102, C1 be the transmission
capacity required for transmitting certain
hierarchically encoded image information at resolution
1, C2 be the transmission capacity required for
transmitting the image information at resolution 2
(information of layers 1 and 2), C3 be the transmission
capacity required for transmitting the image
information at resolution 3 (information of layers 1,
2, and 3), and C4 be the transmission capacity required
for transmitting the image information at resolution 4
(information of layers 1, 2, 3, and 4). In this case,
if Cr >_ C4, resolution 4 is selected.
On the other hand, if C4 > Cr >_ C3, resolution 3
is selected; if C3 > Cr > C2, resolution 3 is selected.
Also, if C2 > Cr > C1, resolution 2 is selected; if C2
> Cr >_ C1, resolution 1 is selected. If C1 > Cr, the
_,resolution selecting unit 103 notifies the image
transmission system that a sufficient transmission
capacity cannot be obtained even at resolution 1.
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Note that the operation of the resolution
selecting unit 103 is not limited to the
above-mentioned one. If the capacity Cr is not enough
to transmit an image at resolution i (i = 1, 2,...) (Cr
< Ci), an image may be transmitted at resolution i
within the bounds of the capacity Cr, or the control
may wait until a sufficient capacity Cr (>_ Ci) is
available.
Fig. 20 shows an example of a charge table stored
in the storage unit 105. In the charge table shown in
Fig. 20, for example, information Info 1 incurs charge
11 and requires transmission capacity C11 when it is
provided at resolution 1.
Also, information Info 1 incurs charge 12 and
requires transmission capacity C12 when it is provided
at resolution 2, and incurs charge 13 and requires
transmission capacity C13 when it is provided at
resolution 3.
The operation executed when the accounting unit of
this embodiment performs accounting processing in a
charge system that sets charges in units of resolutions
will be described below. In the following description,
a case will be exemplified wherein a user (or his or
her terminal) requests a provider to transmit image
Info 1, and the transmittable capacity of the image
transmission system at that time is Cr (C14 > Cr >_
C13).
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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In the first operation step, the control unit 101
fetches information with which the user requests to
transmit image Info 1 by monitoring messages
transmitted/received in the image transmission system
or receiving a message from the image transmission
system.
In the second operation step, the traffic checking
unit 102 checks the traffic of the image transmission
system 110 at that time to obtain a transmittable
capacity Cr.
In the third operation step, the control unit 101
notifies the resolution selecting unit 103 of
identifier Info 1 of the requested image. The traffic
checking unit 102 notifies the resolution selecting
unit 103 of the transmittable capacity Cr.
Furthermore, the resolution selecting unit 103 reads
out transmission capacities required for transmitting
image Info 1 at the respective resolutions from the
storage unit 105, and compares them with the
transmittable capacity Cr so as to select image
resolution 3 corresponding to the current traffic.
Then, the unit 103 notifies the image transmission
system 110 of the selected resolution.
In the fourth operation step, the control unit 101
notifies the accounting processing unit 104 of
identifier Info 1 of the requested image. The
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resolution selecting unit 103 notifies the accounting
processing unit 104 of the selected resolution 3.
The accounting processing unit 104 reads out
corresponding charge 13 from the charge table stored in
the storage unit 105, i.e., that shown in Fig. 3, on
the basis of image identifier Info 1 notified from the
control unit 101 and resolution 3 notified from the
resolution selecting unit 103, and notifies the image
transmission system 110 of the readout charge
information.
Fig. 21 is a block diagram showing the detailed
arrangement of the accounting unit 100 shown in the
functional block diagram of Fig. 19.
Referring to Fig. 21, an accounting unit 200
corresponds to the accounting unit 100 shown in
Fig. 19. A CPU 201 processes inputs from an I/O
interface 202 and generates commands to an external
device in accordance with a program stored in a ROM 204
or a RAM 203.
The I/O interface 202 exchanges information with
the information transmission system or inputs/outputs
data to/from a storage device 206. The RAM 203 is used
by the CPU 201 as a temporary memory, and stores a
program.
The ROM 204 stores a program to be executed by the
CPU 201. When a program is loaded from a device
~;
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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outside the accounting unit 200 or is stored in the RAM
203, the ROM 204 may be omitted.
A bus 205 is used for exchanging data among the
components from the CPU 201 to the ROM 204. The
storage device 206 stores charges corresponding to
different resolutions in units of images, and comprises
a magnetic, optical, or semiconductor element.
In Fig. 21, the functions of the control unit 101,
the traffic checking unit 102, the resolution selecting
unit 103, and the accounting processing unit 104 shown
in Fig. 19 can be realized by the CPU 201, the I/O
interface 202, the RAM 203, the ROM 204, and the bus
205.
For example, the control of the above-mentioned
operation steps, traffic checking processing,
resolution selecting processing, accounting processing,
and the like are attained by the CPU 201, and the
operation sequence, traffic checking method, resolution
selecting method, and accounting processing method
therefor are stored in the RAM 203 or the ROM 204. The
traffic checking processing in the first operation
step, resolution notification in the second operation
step, and charge notification in the fourth operation
step are performed via the I/O interface 202.
Note that the arrangement that realizes the
functional blocks shown in Fig. 19 is not limited to
that shown in Fig. 21. For example, at least one of
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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the functional blocks shown in Fig. 19 may be
constituted by one device, or all the functional blocks
shown in Fig. 19 may be constituted as a single device.
Also, the operation is not limited to the
above-mentioned one, and this embodiment includes the
following cases.
More specifically, the second and third operation
steps may be combined into one step, and the resolution
selecting unit 103 reads out the transmission capacity
Ci required for transmitting image Info 1 at a certain
resolution i. After the unit 103 notifies the traffic
checking unit of the transmission capacity Ci, the
traffic checking unit checks if the transmission can be
performed at the resolution i.
If the transmission cannot be performed, the
resolution selecting unit 103 reads out a transmission
capacity required at a resolution (e. g., resolution
i-1) lower than the resolution i, and repeats the
above-mentioned operation. If the transmission can be
performed, the resolution selecting unit 103 notifies
the image transmission system and the accounting
processing unit 104 of the selected resolution.
Alternatively, in the first operation step, the
user designates a resolution upon requesting an image.
When the accounting unit of this embodiment in the
second to fourth operation steps determines that the
image can be transmitted at the designated resolution,
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the resolution selecting unit 103 notifies the image
transmission system of an instruction for transmitting
the image at the designated resolution, and the
accounting processing unit 104 performs the accounting
processing at the designated resolution.
When the transmission cannot be performed, the.
resolution selecting unit 103 transmits an image at a
transmittable rate or waits until the transmission can
be performed. Alternatively, the unit 103 notifies the
image transmission system of a message indicating that
an image is transmitted by lowering the resolution or
the request is canceled. The accounting processing
unit 104 performs accounting processing corresponding
to the respective processing operations.
The second embodiment of the present invention
will be described below with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
In this embodiment, the present invention is
applied to realize an accounting unit used in a charge
system that selects the resolution (layer) of an image
to be transmitted in correspondence with the traffic of
a transmission line, sets unit charges per unit
information volume in correspondence with. the
resolutions in units of images, and determines the
charge on the basis of the unit charge and the
information volume of the transmitted image, to cope
with hierarchical encoding in an image transmission
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system for transmitting hierarchically encoded image
information via the transmission line.
Fig. 22 is a functional block diagram showing
principal part of an accounting unit according to the
image transmission system of the present invention, and
corresponds to Fig. 19 in the first embodiment. In the
following description, a detailed description of the
same arrangement and operation as those in the first
embodiment will be omitted.
Referring to Fig. 22, an image transmission system
410 comprises an accounting unit 400, which corresponds
to the accounting unit 100 shown in Fig. 19.
A control unit 401 corresponds to the control unit
101 shown in Fig. 19. A traffic checking unit 402
corresponds to the traffic checking unit 102 shown in
Fig. 19. A resolution selecting unit 403 corresponds
to the resolution selecting unit 103 shown in Fig. 19.
An accounting processing unit 404 corresponds to
the accounting processing unit 104 shown in Fig. 19. A
storage unit 405 stores charge information of images to
be referred to by the control unit 401, and corresponds
to the storage unit 105 shown in Fig. 19. The image
transmission system 410 corresponds to the image
transmission system 110 shown in Fig. 19.
A measuring unit 406 measures the information
volume of image information transmitted/received in the
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
7 1:
image transmission system 410, and is not arranged in
the first embodiment described above.
The contents of a charge table stored in the
storage unit 402 are the same as those shown in
Fig. 20.
The operation when the accounting unit of this
embodiment performs accounting processing in a charge
system that sets charges per unit information volume in
correspondence with resolutions, and determines the
charge on the basis of the unit information volume and
the information volume of the transmitted image will be
described below. In the following description, a case
will be exemplified below wherein a user (or his or her
terminal) requests a provider to transmit image Info 1,
and the transmittable capacity of the image
transmission system at that time is Cr (C14 > Cr >_
C13). In this case, the first to fourth operation
steps are the same as those in the first embodiment
described above, and a detailed description thereof
will be omitted.
In this embodiment, upon completion of the fourth
operation step, in the fifth operation step, the
measuring unit 406 counts the information volume of
image Info 1 while the image transmission system 410 is
transmitting image Info 1. Upon completion of
transmission of image Info 1, the accounting processing
unit 404 determines the charge on the basis of unit
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charge 12 and the counted information volume, and
notifies the image transmission system 410 of the
determined charge.
Fig. 23 is a block diagram showing the detailed
arrangement of the accounting unit 400 shown in the
functional block diagram of Fig. 22.
Referring to Fig. 23, an accounting unit 500
corresponds to the accounting unit 200 shown in
Fig. 21. A CPU 501 corresponds to the CPU 201 shown in
Fig. 21. An I/O interface 502 corresponds to the I/O
interface 202 shown in Fig. 21.
A RAM 503 corresponds to the RAM 203 shown in
Fig. 21, and a ROM 504 corresponds to the ROM 204 shown
in Fig. 21. A bus 505 is used for exchanging data
among the components from the CPU 501 to the ROM 504,
and corresponds to the bus 205 shown in Fig. 21.
A storage device 506 stores charges corresponding
to different resolutions in units of images, and
corresponds to the storage device 206 shown in Fig. 21.
A measuring instrument 507 measures the
transmission volume of image information
transmitted/received in the image transmission system
410, and comprises, e.g., a counter. In this case,
when time is measured in place of the information
volume, and the charge is determined on the basis of
the unit charge and the measured time, the CPU may
,i
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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perform measurements, and the measuring instrument 507
may be omitted. '
Referring to Fig. 23, the functions of the control
unit 401, the traffic checking unit 402, the resolution
selecting unit 103, and the accounting processing unit
404 shown in Fig. 22 can be realized by the CPU 501,
the I/O interface 502, the RAM 503, the ROM 504, the
bus 505, and the measuring instrument 507 (the
measuring instrument 507 may be omitted when time is
measured).
In this embodiment as well, various modifications
described in the first embodiment may be made. In this
embodiment, the charge at that time may be calculated
by the method as in the fifth operation step at an
arbitrary timing during image transmission, and the
accounting processing unit 404 notifies the image
transmission system of the charge.
The third embodiment of the present invention will
be described below.
In this embodiment, the present invention is
applied to allow settle accounts at predetermined time
intervals by calculating the accumulated charge in the
first and second embodiments. Note that the
arrangement of an accounting unit of this embodiment is
the same as that shown in Fig. 22.
Figs. 24A and 24B show examples of accumulated
amount tables stored in the storage unit of this
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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embodiment. For example, Fig. 24A shows an accumulated
amount table when the accounting unit is arranged in a
terminal on the image provider side. Referring to
Fig. 24A, only Charge A of those of images provided to
User A is not paid yet, and only Charge B of those of
images provided to User B is not paid yet.
On the other hand, Fig. 24B shows an accumulated
amount table when the accounting unit is arranged in a
terminal on the user side. Referring to Fig. 24B, only
Charge A of those of images provided from provider A is
not paid yet, and only Charge B of those of images
provided from provider H is not paid yet.
A sequence for calculating the accumulated amount
of charges obtained based on the unit charges and
information volumes of images by the accounting unit of
this embodiment will be described below. In the
following description, a case will be exemplified below
wherein User L (or his or her terminal) requests
provider A to transmit image Info 1, and the
transmittable capacity of the image transmission system
at that time is Cr (C14 > Cr >_ C13).
Note that the first to fifth operation steps in
the operation sequence of this embodiment is the same
as those described above, and a detailed description
thereof will be omitted.
In this embodiment, upon completion of the fifth
operation step described above, in the sixth operation
,S ,~
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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step, an accounting processing unit reads out the
accumulated amount of charges for User L from a storage
unit, adds the charge calculated in the fifth operation
step to the readout accumulated amount, and records the
sum data in the storage unit 705.
The fourth embodiment of the present invention
will be described below with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Fig. 25 is a block diagram showing a case wherein
an image provider (or his or her terminal device) has
one of the accounting processing units described in the
first to third embodiments.
Referring to Fig. 25, a transmission terminal
device 1001 on the image provider side comprises a
computer such as a personal computer, a workstation, or
the like, or an image transmitter, which comprises an
accounting unit 1002.
The accounting unit 1002 corresponds to one of the
accounting processing units described in the first to
third embodiments. A reception terminal device 1003 on
the user side comprises a computer such as a personal
computer, a workstation, or the like, or an image
receiver.
The operation of this embodiment will be described
below with reference to Fig. 26. In the following
description, a case will be exemplified wherein User L
(reception terminal device 1003) requests provider A
~i
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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(transmission terminal device 1001) to transmit image
Info 1 and the transmittable capacity of the image
transmission system at that time is Cr (C14 > Cr >_ C13)
when the accounting processing unit of the second
embodiment and an apparatus therefor are used.
In the first operation step, User L transmits a
message that requests provider A to transmit image Info
1 to provider A via a transmission line (this message
will be referred to as an image transmission request
message hereinafter). When the terminal device 1001 of
provider A receives the image transmission request
message, the accounting unit 1002 fetches the image
transmission request message from the transmission
terminal device 1001.
In the second operation step, the accounting unit
1002 checks the traffic of the transmission line via
the transmission terminal device 1001 to obtain a
transmittable capacity Cr, and thereafter, refers to
capacities C11 to C14 in a charge table shown in
Fig. 20. Then, the unit 1002 compares the
transmittable capacity Cr with capacities C11 to C14,
and determines that image Info 1 is to be transmitted
at resolution 3. The unit 1002 notifies the
transmission terminal device 1001 of resolution 3.
In the third operation step, the transmission
terminal device 1001 transmits image Info 1 at
resolution 3 to User L via the transmission line. At
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
t
..
the same time, the accounting unit 1002 measures the
information volume of image Info 1 which is being
transmitted from the transmission terminal device 1001.
In the fourth operation step, the accounting unit
1002 monitors image Info 1 which is being transmitted.
When the unit 1002 recognizes the end of transmission
of image Info 1 to User L by detecting a bit pattern
indicating the end of the image or by receiving a
message indicating the end of transmission of image
Info 1 to User L, it reads out unit charge 13 from the
above-mentioned charge table, and determines the charge
for User L on the basis of the information volume of
image Info 1 provided to User L and unit charge 13.
In the fifth operation step, the accounting unit
1002 outputs the charge calculated in the fourth
operation step to the transmission terminal device
1001.
In the sixth operation step, the charge is paid.
Note that this embodiment also includes the
following cases.
In the first operation step, the user may
designate a resolution when he or she requests an
image. When a transmission capacity Cr enough to
transmit the image at the designated resolution cannot
be obtained, the accounting processing unit transmits
an image at the designated resolution within the bounds
of the transmission capacity Cr. Alternatively, the
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
_ 7
accounting processing unit waits until a sufficient
transmission capacity is assured. Alternatively, the
accounting processing unit transmits an image at a
resolution that allows transmission with the
transmission capacity Cr.
Alternatively, the accounting processing unit
supplies an instruction for canceling the request to an
image transmission apparatus, and performs accounting
processing in accordance with the instruction. In this
case, the image transmission apparatus performs image
transmission processing or processing for canceling the
request together with an image reception apparatus.
Note that one of the above-mentioned processing
operations may be selected by the user upon inquiry.
In the first operation step, the user may also
designate a terminal device (or image processing
apparatus) as a destination of an image when he or she
requests an image provider to transmit an image, and
provider A transmits image information to the
designated destination.
In the third operation step, unit charge 13 may be
read out, and the charge incurred so far may be
calculated on the basis of unit charge 13 and the
information volume at that time. The calculated charge
may be output to the transmission terminal device 1001,
thus notifying provider A or User L of the charge.
t
. 1 ..
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
_ 79 _
In the fourth operation step, after unit charge 13
is read out, unit charge 13 may be output to the
transmission terminal device 1001, and the transmission
terminal device 1001 may transmit unit charge 13 to
User L via the transmission line.
In the fifth operation step, the transmission
terminal device 1001 may notify User L of the charge
via the transmission line.
The accounting processing unit 1002 may be
realized by a CPU, memory, storage device, and the like
of the transmission terminal device 1001.
In this embodiment, the following modifications
may be taken into consideration in addition to the
above-mentioned examples. That is, this embodiment may
include modifications in which the accounting
processing units of the first and third embodiments are
applied.
The fifth embodiment of the present invention will
be described below with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 27 shows a case wherein a user (or his or her
terminal device) has one of the accounting processing
units described in the first to third embodiments.
Referring to Fig. 27, a transmission terminal
device 1201 on the image provider side comprises a
computer such as a personal computer, a workstation, or
the like, or an image transmitter, which comprises an
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
accounting unit. An accounting unit 1202 corresponds
to one of the accounting processing units described in
the first to third embodiments. A reception terminal
device 1203 on the receiver side comprises a computer
5 such as a personal computer, a workstation, or the
like, or an image receiver.
The operation of this embodiment will be described
below with reference to Fig. 28. In the following
description, a case will be exemplified wherein User L
10 (reception terminal device 1203) requests provider A
(transmission terminal device 1201) to transmit image
Info 1 and the transmittable capacity of the image
transmission system at that time is Cr (C14 > Cr >_ C13)
when the accounting processing unit of the second
15 embodiment is used.
In the first operation step [S1], User L transmits
a message that requests provider A to transmit image
Info 1 to provider A via a transmission line (this
message will be referred to as an image transmission
20 request message hereinafter). The accounting unit 1202
fetches the image transmission request message from the
reception terminal device 1203.
In the second operation step [S2], the accounting
unit 1202 checks the traffic of the transmission line
25 via the transmission terminal device 1201 to obtain a
transmittable capacity Cr, and thereafter, refers to
capacities C11 to C14 in the charge table described
r
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above. Then, the unit 1202 compares the transmittable
capacity Cr with capacities C11 to C14, and determines
that image Info 1 is to be transmitted at resolution 3.
The unit 1202 notifies the reception terminal device
1203 of resolution 3.
The reception terminal device 1203 notifies the
transmission terminal device 1201 of a message
indicating that "User L requests provider A to transmit
image Info 1 at resolution 3".
In the third operation step [S3], upon reception
of the message from the reception terminal device 1203,
the transmission terminal device 1201 transmits image
Info 1 at resolution 3 to User L via the transmission
line. At the same time, the accounting unit 1202
measures the information volume of image Info 1 which
is being received by the reception terminal device
1203.
In the fourth operation step [S4], the accounting
unit 1202 monitors image Info 1 which is being
received, and recognizes the end of reception of image
Info 1 from provider A by detecting a bit pattern
indicating the end of the image or by receiving a
message indicating the end of reception of image Info 1
from provider A from the reception terminal device
1203.
Upon recognition of the end of reception, as
described above, the accounting unit 1202 reads out
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unit charge 13 from the above-mentioned charge table,
determines the charge payable to provider A on the
basis of the information volume of image Info 1
received from provider A and unit charge 13, and
outputs the determined charge to the reception terminal
device 1203.
In the fifth operation step [S5), the charge is
paid.
Note that this embodiment also includes the
following cases.
In the first operation step, the user may
designate a resolution when he or she requests an
image.
When a transmission capacity Cr enough to transmit
the image at the designated resolution cannot be
obtained, the accounting processing unit transmits an
image at the designated resolution within the bounds of
the transmission capacity Cr. Alternatively, the
accounting processing unit waits until a sufficient
transmission capacity is assured. Alternatively, the
accounting processing unit transmits an image at a
resolution that allows transmission with the
transmission capacity Cr.
Alternatively, the accounting processing unit
supplies an instruction for canceling the request to an
image transmission apparatus, and performs accounting
processing in accordance with the instruction. In this
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case, the image transmission apparatus performs image
transmission processing or processing for canceling the
request together with an image reception apparatus.
Note that one of the above-mentioned processing
operations may be selected by the user upon inquiry.
In the first operation step, the user may also
designate a terminal device (or image processing
apparatus) as a destination of an image when he or she
requests an image provider to transmit an image, and
provider A transmits image information to the
designated destination. This case further includes the
following two cases.
In the first case, the user has an accounting
processing unit. In this case, the user (or his or her
accounting processing unit) is notified of the start of
transmission of an image from the destination or the
image provider before the third operation step, and
starts an accounting operation.
Upon completion of image provision, in the fourth
operation step, the user is notified of the end of
transmission of the image, and ends the accounting
operation. As for the information volume, the user is
notified from the destination or the provider.
In the second case, the destination designated by
the user has an accounting processing unit. In this
case, the user also transmits an image transmission
request message to the destination in the first
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operation step, and the accounting processing unit of
the destination fetches the image transmission request
message. The accounting processing unit of the
destination notifies the provider or user of the
calculated charge in the fourth operation step.
In the first operation step, the reception
terminal device 1203 may transmit an image transmission
request message, and the transmission terminal device
1201 may select resolution 3 by the same method as in
the accounting unit 1202.
In the third operation step, unit charge 13 may be
read out in advance, the charge incurred so far may be
calculated on the basis of unit charge 13 and the
information volume of image Info 1 that has been
received at that time, and the calculated charge may be
output to the reception terminal device 1203. The
device 1203 may display the received charge to notify
User L of it.
Note that the following modifications may be taken
into consideration. More specifically, this embodiment
may include modifications: the accounting unit 1202 may
be realized by a CPU, memory, storage device, and the
like of the reception terminal device 1203; and the
accounting processing unit of the first or second
embodiment may be used.
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The sixth embodiment of the present invention will
be described below with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 29 shows a case wherein both an image
provider (or his or her terminal device) and a user (or
his or her terminal device) have corresponding ones of
the accounting processing units described in the first
to third embodiments.
Referring to Fig. 29, a transmission terminal
device 1401 on the image provider side comprises a
computer such as a personal computer, a workstation, or
the like, or an image transmitter, which comprises an
accounting unit 1402. The accounting unit 1402
corresponds to one of the accounting processing units
described in the first to third embodiments. A
reception terminal device 1403 on the user side
comprises a computer such as a personal computer, a
workstation, or the like, or an image receiver, which
comprises an accounting unit 1404. The accounting unit
1404 corresponds to one of the accounting processing
units described in the first to third embodiments.
The operation of this embodiment will be described
below with reference to Fig. 30. In the following
description, a case will be exemplified wherein User L
(reception terminal device 1403) requests provider A
(transmission terminal device 1401) to transmit image
Info 1 and the transmittable capacity of the image
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transmission system at that time is Cr (C14 > Cr >_ C13)
when the accounting processing unit of the second
embodiment and an apparatus therefor are used.
In the first operation step [S1], User L
(reception terminal device 1403) transmits a message
that requests provider A (transmission terminal device
1401) to transmit image Info 1 to provider A via a
transmission line (this message will be referred to as
an image transmission request message hereinafter).
The accounting unit 1404 fetches the image transmission
request message from the reception terminal device
1403. When the transmission terminal device 1401
receives the image transmission request message, the
accounting unit 1402 fetches the image transmission
request message from the transmission terminal device
1401.
In the second operation step [S2], the accounting
unit 1402 checks the traffic of the transmission line
via the transmission terminal device 1401 to obtain a
transmittable capacity Cr, and thereafter, refers to
capacities C11 to C14 in the charge table described
above. Then, the unit 1402 compares the transmittable
capacity Cr with capacities C11 to C14, and determines
that image Info 1 is to be transmitted at resolution 3.
The unit 1402 notifies the transmission terminal device
1401 of resolution 3.
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
The accounting unit 1404 similarly obtains
resolution 3, and notifies the reception terminal
device 1403 of it.
In the third operation step [S3], the transmission
terminal device 1401 transmits image Info 1 at
resolution 3 to the reception terminal device 1403 via
the transmission line. The accounting unit 1402
measures the information volume of image Info 1 which
is being transmitted by the transmission terminal
device 1401.
The reception terminal device 1403 receives image
Info 1 sent via the transmission line. On the other
hand, the accounting unit 1404 measures the information
volume of image Info 1 which is being received by the
reception terminal device 1403.
In the fourth operation step [S4], the accounting
unit 1402 monitors image Info 1 which is being
transmitted. When the unit 1402 recognizes the end of
transmission of image Info 1 to User L by detecting a
bit pattern indicating the end of the image or by
receiving a message indicating the end of transmission
of image Info 1 to User L, it reads out unit charge 13
from the above-mentioned charge table. Then, the unit
1402 calculates the charge for User L on the basis of
the information volume of image Info 1 provided to User
L and unit charge 13, and notifies the transmission
terminal device 1401 of the charge.
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
The accounting unit 1404 monitors image Info 1
which is being received. When the unit 1404 recognizes
the end of reception of image Info 1 from provider A by
detecting a bit pattern indicating the end of the image
or by receiving a message indicating the end of
reception of image Info 1 from provider A from the
reception terminal device 1403, it reads out unit
charge 13 from the above-mentioned charge table.
The unit 1404 calculates the charge payable to
provider A on the basis of the information volume of
image Info 1 received from provider A and unit charge
13, and notifies the reception terminal device 1403 of
the charge.
In the fifth operation step [S5], the charge is
paid.
Note that this embodiment also includes the
following cases.
In the first operation step [S1], the user may
designate a resolution when he or she requests an
image.
When a transmission capacity Cr enough to transmit
the image at the designated resolution cannot be
obtained, the accounting unit 1402 (or 1404) transmits
an image at the designated resolution within the limits
of the transmission capacity Cr. Alternatively, the
accounting unit waits until a sufficient transmission
capacity is assured. Alternatively, the accounting
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
_ 89 _
unit transmits an image at a resolution that allows
transmission with the transmission capacity Cr.
Alternatively, the accounting unit supplies an
instruction for canceling the request to an image
transmission apparatus (or an image reception apparatus
in the case of the accounting unit 1404), and performs
accounting processing in accordance with the
instruction. In this case, the image transmission
apparatus performs image transmission processing or
processing for canceling the request together with an
image reception apparatus. Note that one of the
above-mentioned processing operations may be selected
by the user upon inquiry.
In the first operation step [S1], the user may
also designate a terminal device (or image processing
apparatus) as a destination of an image when he or she
requests an image provider to transmit an image, and
provider A transmits image information to the
designated destination. This case further includes the
following two cases.
More specifically, in the first case, the provider
and the user have accounting units. In this case, the
user (or his or her accounting processing unit) is
notified of the start of transmission of an image from
the destination or the image provider before the third
operation step [S3], and starts an accounting
operation. Upon completion of image provision, in the
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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fourth operation step [S4], the user is notified of the
end of transmission of the image, and ends the
accounting operation. As for the information volume,
the user is notified from the destination or the
provider.
In the second case, the provider and the
destination designated by the user have accounting
units. In this case, the user also transmits an image
transmission request message to the destination in the
first operation step [S1], and the accounting unit of
the destination fetches the image transmission request
message. The accounting unit of the destination may
notify the user of the calculated charge in the fourth
operation step [S4].
In the second operation step [S2], the accounting
unit 1402 may read out unit charge 13, and notify the
transmission terminal device 1401 of it. The
transmission terminal device 1401 may display the
received unit charge, thus notifying provider A of it.
Furthermore, in the second operation step [S2],
the accounting unit 1404 may read out unit charge 13,
and notify the reception terminal device 1403 of it.
The reception terminal device 1403 may display the
received unit charge, thus notifying User L of it.
In the third operation step [S3], the accounting
unit 1404 may read out unit charge 13 in advance,
calculate the charge incurred so far on the basis of
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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unit charge 13 and the information volume of image Info
1 that has been received at that time, and output the
calculated charge to the reception terminal device
1403.
The accounting unit 1402 may be realized by a CPU,
memory, storage device, and the like of the
transmission terminal device 1401.
The accounting unit 1404 may be realized by a CPU,
memory, storage device, and the like of the reception
terminal device 1404.
Furthermore, the accounting processing unit of the
first or third embodiment may be used.
All the networks using the above-mentioned
accounting unit are embodiments according to the
present invention. Especially, a preferred embodiment
of a network using the accounting unit of this
embodiment will be explained below.
As described above, according to the system of
each of the above embodiments, since the resolution of
an image to be transmitted is selected in accordance
with the traffic of the transmission line, and the
accounting processing is performed in correspondence
with the selected resolution, an accounting system that
can fully utilize the features such as the types and
qualities of information and services can be realized.
With this system, various kinds of information and
services can be copied with.
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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According to the above embodiments, accounting
processing can be performed in correspondence with the
hierarchical encoding technique.
According to the above embodiments, since
accounting processing can be performed in consideration
of the information volume of an image as well as the
resolution of an image to be transmitted, an optimal
accounting operation corresponding to the practical
state of image transmission can be attained.
On the other hand, since accounts for images
subjected to accounting processing can be
simultaneously settled at predetermined time intervals,
payment of image charges can be prevented from being
delayed.
Also, information can be protected from being
tapped or forged, and fair accounting processing can be
performed.
Furthermore, an image can be hierarchically
encoded in a designated layer, and accounting
processing can be performed in correspondence with the
designated layer.
Embodiments that set the charge system in
correspondence with the image quality involved will be
explained below.
Fig. 31 is a block diagram showing an embodiment
of the present invention.
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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Referring to Fig. 31, a transmission unit 100
transmits image information. A reception unit 120 is
used by a user. A transmission line 106 is used for
communications between the transmission unit 100 and
the reception unit 120.
The transmission unit 100 includes a charge data
base 101, an accumulated amount storage device 102, an
accounting device 103, an image quality control unit
104, and a communication interface 105. The reception
unit 120 includes an interface 107, a quality
information collection unit 108, a user I/O unit 109,
and a quality information I/O unit 110.
Fig. 32 shows the contents of the charge data base
101. The charge data base stores the information to be
provided- to the user, and the charge per unit volume of
the information in correspondence with each other. The
charge per unit volume, which differs for each
information, will be referred to as a unit charge
hereinafter. To allow user's selection, each
information is assigned a title. Such charge data base
101 can be easily constituted by the existing data
base. In this case, the number of pixels of an image,
the chromaticity level, saturation level, and lightness
level of each pixel, the number of frames per unit
time, and the like are converted into information
volumes, and unit charges are registered in the charge
data base 101. The charge data base 101 can be
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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constituted by a semiconductor storage device, a
magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, or
the like.
Fig. 33 shows the contents of the accumulated
amount storage device 102. The storage device 102 can
be constituted by a semiconductor storage device, a
magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, or
the like. The accumulated amount storage device 102
stores the accumulated amounts of charges incurred
during a predetermined period in units of users. When
accounts are settled upon each information
transmission, the accumulated amount storage device 102
may be omitted.
Fig. 34 shows the arrangement of the accounting
device T03. The accounting device 103 can be
constituted by a CPU, multiplier, adder, and the like.
The operation will be described below.
For example, user A shown in Fig. 33 issues an
information request using the user I/O unit 109 of the
reception unit 120, and at the same time, selects anc~
sets the quality of a specific image using the quality
information I/O unit 110. More specifically, user A
sets the number of frames per unit time, the number of
pixels, the chromaticity level, the saturation level,
and the lightness level of an image, and the like. The
information request and quality information are output
via the communication interface 107 and the
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transmission line 106, and are input to the image
quality control unit 104 via the communication
interface 105. The image quality control unit 104
attains calculations for thinning out pixels of the
encoded input image data, decreasing or interpolating
its chromaticity, saturation, and lightness levels, and
so on in accordance with the quality information by
digital signal processing using a DSP, selector
switches, and the like. The quality information is
also input to the accounting device 103.
The accounting device 103 reads out the unit
charge and the accumulated amount respectively from the
accounting data base 104 and the accumulated amount
storage device 102, calculates a new accumulated amount
based on an equation shown in Fig. 34 using a
calculator, and stores the calculated amount in the
accumulated amount storage device 102. On the other
hand, the image information, which has been subjected
to the above-mentioned image processing in the image
quality control unit 104 to have an appropriately
adjusted quality, is output via the communication
interface 105 and the transmission line 106, and is
supplied to the quality information correction unit 107
via the communication interface 107. The unit 107
measures the quality of the input image information by
calculating the number of frames per unit time, the
number of pixels, and the chromaticity, saturation, and
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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lightness levels. After the measured quality is
compared with that requested by user A, the image
information is delivered to user A via the user I/O
unit 109. Note that the reception unit 120 need not
perform image quality comparison. In this case, the
quality information collection unit 108 and the quality
information I/O unit 110 can be omitted.
Note that the image quality in this invention is
determined by the number of frames per unit time of an
image, the number of pixels, and the dynamic ranges and
levels of saturation, lightness, and chromaticity, and
the image quality becomes higher as respective items
have broader dynamic ranges and a larger number of
levels.
Fig. 35 is a block diagram showing another
embodiment of the present invention. The same
reference numerals in Fig. 35 denote the same parts as
in Fig. 31, and a detailed description thereof will be
omitted.
In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 35, the
transmission unit 100 comprises a common key cipher
processing unit 111 and a time measuring unit 112, and
the reception unit 120 comprises a common key cipher
processing unit 113.
The operation will be described below.
Assume that a common key used in the common key
cipher processing units 111 and 113 is distributed in
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_ 97
advance by a known key distribution method, e.g., a key
distribution method based on ID (Shigeo Tsujii & Masao
Kasahara, "Cipher and Security", Shokodo (1990), a
public key cipher system (Shinichi Ikeno & Kenji
Koyama, "Theory of Modern Cipher", The institute of
Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers
(1986)), or a key management data base. Note that a
cipher system will be described later.
As in the above embodiment, the user I/O unit 109
and the quality information I/O unit 110 of the
reception unit 120 issue an information request and a
quality request of an image to be transmitted of a
user, and the quality information collection unit 108
stores the requested quality. Thereafter, these
requests are enciphered by the common key cipher
processing unit 113. The enciphered information is
output via the communication interface 107 and the
transmission line 106, and is then deciphered by the
common key cipher processing unit 111 via the
communication interface 105 of the transmission unit
100. The deciphered information request and quality
request are supplied to the image quality control unit
104. At the same time, the accounting device 103
performs accounting processing as in the above
embodiment.
Input image data is processed by the image quality
control unit 104 as in the above embodiment, and is
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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enciphered by the common key cipher processing unit
111. The enciphered image information is deciphered by
the common key cipher processing unit 113 via the
communication interface 105, the transmission line 106,
and the communication interface 107. The deciphered
image information is delivered to the user as in the
above embodiment.
The time measuring unit 112 measures the operation
time of the common key cipher processing unit 111, and
supplies the measured time to the accounting unit 103
via the image quality control unit 104, thus performing
accounting processing for the enciphered information.
In this case, the unit charge per unit time for the
enciphered information is set in the accounting data
base 102, and the encipher processing time measured by
the time measuring unit 112 is set as the number of
pieces of quality information in the accounting device
103. Also, the decipher processing time may be
measured, and the accounting processing may be
performed in correspondence with the measured time.
The protocols on the receiving and transmitting
sides will be explained below with reference to
Fig. 36.
In Fig. 36, the receiving side issues a
transmission request to the transmitting side via an
accounting device, as indicated by an arrow 1101, and
requests an image quality at the same time. The
,
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transmitting side transfers data, as indicated by an
arrow 1102, and the receiving side receives the data.
At this time, as described in the above embodiments, an
accounting operation is executed. The receiving side
sends a transmission termination request when it wants
to terminate reception of data, as indicated by an
arrow 1103. The accounting device on the transmitting
side terminates the accounting operation in accordance
with this termination request. Then, the transmitting
side terminates transmission in accordance with a
transmission termination request 1104. The accounting
device on the transmitting side notifies the receiving
side of the charge, as indicated by an arrow 1105.
When data are transferred bidirectionally, similar
accounting processing is performed as the transmitting
and receiving sides replace each other. As for
transmission/reception between other users and
information providers, similar operations and
accounting processing are performed.
As described above, accounting processing can be
performed in various networks.
As described above, according to the above
embodiments, appropriate accounting processing can be
performed in correspondence with the quality of an
image provided to a user.
CA 02365268 2001-12-19
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Since the user can select his or her desired image
quality, a fair, appropriate accounting system can be
realized.
Since information is enciphered, the security of
accounting information can be protected, and the
accounting information can be protected from breaches
of security such as forging or disguising.
Furthermore, when the cipher processing time is
measured, appropriate accounting processing can be
performed in correspondence with the reception time of
information.
Many widely different embodiments of the present
invention may be constructed without departing from the
spirit and scope of the present invention. It should
be understood that the present invention is not limited
to the specific embodiments described in the
specification, except as defined in the appended
claims.
