Network system, terminal customization method, and customization service method

Abstract

A first terminal notifies an LFC service functional unit of LFC package related information for customization of a second terminal, an address of the second terminal to be customized, and an account of the user of the first terminal to a contents provider. As a result, the LFC service functional unit acquires an LFC package from the contents provider, then the LFC service functional unit customizes the second terminal based on the obtained LFC package.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A network system comprising:
 a plurality of terminals,   a contents management server managing contents for customization of said terminals, and   a customization service unit customizing at least one of said terminals based on the contents for customization notified from said contents management server,   wherein any terminal among said plurality of terminals notifies any of the other terminals and said customization service unit of a related information designating the contents for customization for customizing the other terminal, and requests customization of said other terminal.   
     
     
         2 . A network system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said any terminal notifies said other terminal of a temporary account enabling temporary access to said contents management server, for enabling the other terminal to use said temporary account to access the contents management server. 
     
     
         3 . A network system as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said temporary account is fixed in at least one of an expiration date of the temporary account and number of uses of the temporary account that permitted. 
     
     
         4 . A network system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said any terminal notifies said customization service unit of account information of the user of said any terminal and address information of the other terminal to be customized, and enabling said customization service unit to use the account information of the user of said any terminal to access said contents management server. 
     
     
         5 . A network system as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said any terminal notifies representative address information representing a group to which a plurality of other terminals for customization belong and customizes all of the plurality of other terminals belonging to said group in parallel. 
     
     
         6 . A terminal customization method in a network system that comprises a plurality of terminals, a contents management server managing contents for customization of said terminals, and a customization service unit customizing at least one of said terminals based on contents for customization notified from said contents management server,
 said terminal customization method comprising:   requesting, from any of the terminals, a customization of any of the other terminals, by notifying any of the other terminals or the customization service unit of a related information designating customization contents;   obtaining, by the other terminal or said customization service unit the contents for customization designated by the related information by accessing the contents management server; and   customizing the other terminal by the customization service unit based on said contents for customization obtained from the contents management server.   
     
     
         7 . A terminal customization method as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising:
 notifying the other terminal, from the any terminal, of a temporary account enabling temporary access to said contents management server; and   accessing, by the other terminal, the contents management server by using said temporary account.   
     
     
         8 . A terminal customization method as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said temporary account is fixed in at least one of an expiration date and number of uses. 
     
     
         9 . A terminal customization method as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising:
 notifying the customization service unit, from the any terminal, of an account information of the user of any terminal and an address information of the other terminal to be customized; and   accessing, by the customization service unit, the contents management server by using the account information of the user of the any terminal to acquire the contents for customization.   
     
     
         10 . A terminal customization method as set forth in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 notifying, from the any terminal, representative address information representing a group to which the plurality of other terminals to be customized belong; and   customizing all of the plurality of other terminals belonging to said group in parallel.   
     
     
         11 . A customization service apparatus performing a customization service of a terminal connected to a network based on contents for customization, comprising:
 a terminal agent functional unit functioning as an agent of a terminal of a user requesting a customization of the other terminal, the terminal agent functional unit receives from the terminal of a requesting user requesting customization of a terminal, a related information designating the contents for customization, terminal information identifying the other terminal to be customized, and account information of the requesting user that is permitted to acquire said contents for customization.   
     
     
         12 . A customization service apparatus as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the terminal agent functional unit cancels and thereby erases said account information of the user when said other terminal finishes being customized.