Data communications system, terminal, and program

Abstract

To provide a system which allows large volumes of data to be exchanged efficiently through network connections using portable terminals. An example data communications system includes a data terminal which stores certain data; and an operation terminal which controls access rights to the data stored in the data terminal, in which the operation terminal grants another operation terminal access rights to desired data. The data terminal returns the data according to an access request made based on the access rights. On the other hand, the operation terminal passes the acquired access rights to the data terminal, which then accesses the data terminal via a high-speed, stable, wired network and acquires the desired data, based on the access rights.

1 . A data communications system, comprising: 
 a first data storage terminal to store certain data; and    a control terminal to control access rights to said data stored in said first data storage terminal,    wherein said control terminal connects to another terminal via a network and grants said another terminal access rights to said data, and    said first data storage terminal returns said data to a second storage terminal according to an access request which is made based on the access rights granted to said another terminal by said control terminal.    
   
   
       2 . The data communications system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first data storage terminal transmits said data to said second storage terminal of an access requester via a wired network.  
   
   
       3 .- 4 . (canceled)  
   
   
       5 . A data communications system comprising: 
 an operation terminal to make an arrangement about transfer of data held by a designated terminal in a designated data storage terminal and acquires access rights to the data based on the arrangement; and    a data acquisition terminal to acquire from said designated data storage terminal the data held by said designated terminal by making a data access request to said designated terminal via a network based on said access rights acquired by said operation terminal.    
   
   
       6 . The data communications system according to  claim 5 , wherein: 
 said data acquisition terminal processes said data according to a capability of said operation terminal forming processed data and transmits the processed data to the operation terminal; and    said operation terminal receives and uses the processed data sent from said data acquisition terminal.    
   
   
       7 . The data communications system according to  claim 5 , wherein said data acquisition terminal acquires said data from said designated data storage terminal via a wired network.  
   
   
       8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . A data communications system, comprising: 
 an operation terminal which uses content data; and    a data supply terminal which supplies said content data to said operation terminal,    wherein said operation terminal requests said data supply terminal to acquire content data held by a designated terminal in a designated data storage terminal on a network, and    said data supply terminal acquires said content data from said designated data storage terminal in possession of said content data and supplies it to said operation terminal, via said network in response to an acquisition request from said operation terminal.    
   
   
       10 . The data communications system according to  claim 9 , wherein: 
 said data supply terminal processes said acquired content data according to capability of said operation terminal forming processed data before supplying said processed data to the operation terminal.    
   
   
       11 . The data communications system according to  claim 9 , wherein: 
 said data supply terminal acquires said content data from said designated data storage terminal via a wired network.    
   
   
       12 . A terminal which conducts data communications via a network, comprising: 
 a communications unit which establishes a connection with another terminal via said network; and    an access right granting unit which makes an arrangement via said communications unit about transfer of data held by a designated data storage terminal and grants the other said another terminal access rights to the data, based on the arrangement.    
   
   
       13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . A terminal which conducts data communications via a network, comprising: 
 an access right acquisition unit which makes an arrangement about transfer of data held by a designated data storage terminal with another terminal via said network, and acquires access rights to the data based on the arrangement; and    a data acquisition requesting unit which requests a data acquisition terminal accessible to said data storage terminal via a network to acquire said data based on said acquired access rights.    
   
   
       15 . (canceled)  
   
   
       16 . A data communications method, comprising the steps of: 
 making an arrangement via a wireless network about transfer of designated data between designated terminals;    assigning access rights to the data based on the arrangement; and    transferring said data between said designated terminals over a wired network based on the access rights.    
   
   
       17 . (canceled)  
   
   
       18 . A program tangibly embodied on computer readable medium comprising code for controlling a computer which conducts data communications via a network and implementing in the computer the functions of: 
 establishing a connection with another terminal via said network;    making an arrangement about transfer of data held by a designated data storage terminal with said another terminal via said network, and    granting said another terminal access rights to the data, based on the arrangement.    
   
   
       19 . A program tangibly embodied on computer readable medium for controlling a computer which conducts data communications via a network and implementing in the computer the functions of: 
 making an arrangement with another terminal about transfer of data held by a designated data storage terminal via said network,    acquiring access rights to the data based on the arrangement; and    requesting a data acquisition terminal accessible to said data storage terminal via a network to acquire said data based on said acquired access rights.    
   
   
       20 . A recording medium including a program for controlling a computer which conducts data communications via a network, said program being stored in a format readable by the computer, wherein said program makes said computer function as: 
 an access right granting unit which makes an arrangement about transfer of data held by a designated data storage terminal with another terminal via said network and grants the other terminal access rights to the data, based on the arrangement; and    a notification unit which notifies said data storage terminal of the arrangement with said other terminal.    
   
   
       21 . A recording medium including a program for controlling a computer which conducts data communications via a network, said program being stored in a format readable by the computer, wherein said program makes said computer function as: 
 an access right acquisition unit which makes an arrangement about transfer of data held by a designated data storage terminal with another terminal via said network and acquires access rights to the data based on the arrangement; and    a data acquisition requesting unit which requests a data acquisition terminal accessible to said data storage terminal via the network to acquire said data based on said acquired access rights.    
   
   
       22 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing data communications, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the functions of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       23 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing data communications, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the functions of  claim 5 .  
   
   
       24 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing data communications, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the functions of  claim 9 .  
   
   
       25 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a terminal, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the functions of  claim 12 .  
   
   
       26 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a terminal, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the functions of  claim 14 .  
   
   
       27 . An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing data communications, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the steps of  claim 16 .  
   
   
       28 . A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for data communications, said method steps comprising the steps of  claim 16.