Abstract: A terminal management device manages the sharing by at the least one business entity of costs related to distributed terminal devices. In a case that a new business entity, which uses the terminal devices and provides services after the terminal devices have been distributed, the terminal management device computes and totals the differences of shared costs of each business entity, which will change in accordance with the addition thereof. Thus, by managing the changes of a plurality of business entities bearing the costs related to terminal devices, changes in the shares of the costs thereof can be adjusted easily even-in a case that business entities using the terminal devices thereof and providing services change after the terminal devices have been distributed to subscribers: Therefore, the present invention facilitates the participation of a new service business entity in the provision of services using terminal devices subsequent to the terminal devices being distributed.

Abstract: A terminal management device manages the sharing by at the least one business entity of costs related to distributed terminal devices. In a case that a new business entity, which uses the terminal devices and provides services after the terminal devices have been distributed, the terminal management device computes and totals the differences of shared costs of each business entity, which will change in accordance with the addition thereof. Thus, by managing the changes of a plurality of business entities bearing the costs related to terminal devices, changes in the shares of the costs thereof can be adjusted easily even in a case that business entities using the terminal devices thereof and providing services change after the terminal devices have been distributed to subscribers. Therefore, the present invention facilitates the participation of a new service business entity in the provision of services using terminal devices subsequent to the terminal devices being distributed.

Abstract: A portable electronic apparatus includes a display part that displays information, and an approximately pipe-shaped protective part, provided around and thicker than the display part, which protects the display part by positioning the display part at a depressed portion from the protective part.

Abstract: It is possible to provide an IA terminal user management system and a program for said system which comprises: a unit which stores IA terminal information including an IA terminal identifier for identifying an IA terminal, service information including the kind of service to be received, and user registration information including user information concerning the user who receives the service; a unit which transmits and receives user registration information to and from the IA terminal, and requests the IA terminal to input user registration information; a unit which collates the received user registration information with the stored user registration information, and a unit which obtains user registration information which is not collated from the IA terminal and registers said information.

Abstract: An environment information storing means for storing environment information of an operating system or an application program executed by the Internet appliance terminal unit, an environment change information acquiring means for acquiring environment change information containing a changed portion of the environment information from the application service server, and an environment change information analyzing means for analyzing the environment change information acquired by the environment change information acquiring means corresponding to environment information stored in the environment information storing means are disposed.

Abstract: A random-number generator generates first and second title keys on the basis of random numbers. A first DES encryption circuit for the title encrypts input data with the first title key. Initial values of this item of input data are a data identifier (ID) and program clock reference (PCR) that are extracted from a packet header. After completing the encryption of the initial values, a result of an encryption by a second DES encryption circuit for title serves as the input data for the first DES encryption circuit for title. The second DES encryption circuit for title encrypts a value of result of the encryption by the first DES encryption circuit for title with the second title key. An exclusive OR circuit outputs an exclusive OR of the data stored in the packet and a value of result of the encryption by the second DES encryption circuit for title. This exclusive OR turns out encrypted data.

Abstract: A method and system for remotely operating one or more client apparatuses by a controlling client apparatus without placing a processing burden on the apparatuses or increasing network traffic. Processing is executed in response to a request from a first apparatus. The processing results are transmitted to both the first apparatus and to a second apparatus. In one embodiment of the present invention, the first apparatus sends a request to a management apparatus to remotely control the second apparatus. The management apparatus disables user operation of the second apparatus and establishes remote operations between the first and second apparatuses. The first apparatus requests a Web page from the management apparatus, which obtains the Web page from a WWW server and sends the Web page to both the first and second apparatuses. Thus, remote control of the second apparatus is achieved by the first apparatus.

Abstract: A terminal management device manages the sharing by at the least one business entity of costs related to distributed terminal devices. In a case that a new business entity, which uses the terminal devices and provides services after the terminal devices have been distributed, the terminal management device computes and totals the differences of shared costs of each business entity, which will change in accordance with the addition thereof. Thus, by managing the changes of a plurality of business entities bearing the costs related to terminal devices, changes in the shares of the costs thereof can be adjusted easily even in a case that business entities using the terminal devices thereof and providing services change after the terminal devices have been distributed to subscribers. Therefore, the present invention facilitates the participation of a new service business entity in the provision of services using terminal devices subsequent to the terminal devices being distributed.

Abstract: A key management unit of a service provider system generates an individual key corresponding to a portable module connected to a service client making an access request and informs an authenticating unit of this individual key. The individual key is stored beforehand also in the portable module. A random-number generator generates a random number, transmits this random number to the portable module and informs the authenticating unit of it. The portable module encrypts the random number with the individual key and sends it back to the service provider system. An encrypting portion of the authenticating unit encrypts the random number with the individual key. A comparator of the authenticating unit compares data encrypted by the encrypting portion with encrypted data transmitted from the portable module and, if the two items of data are coincident with each other, confirms an access request from the portable module.

Abstract: An image data conversion method for converting the image data signal to the runlength signal through the process for reading once or several times a runlength code from a runlength conversion table for a given image data signal and a process for adding the pertinent runlength code when the same type of runlength code appears continuously. A character code/character pattern conversion apparatus which uses said image data conversion method, and provides, moreover, a multiplication device for multiplying character enlarging coefficient and the runlength code and a character interval inserting means which adds a character interval width code to the enlarged runlength code and outputs the input character code after converting it to the enlarged character pattern along with the interval code.