Abstract: An authentication system, program and method authenticates users who are parties to a transaction by supplying a first user with a matching key for a prospective transaction, receiving by a second user the matching key supplied to the first user; and matching the key supplied from the first user to the second user against the key supplied to the first user, after the second user has received the key from the first user.

Abstract: A WEB server includes a memory unit, an index data searching unit that searches plurality of item data in the memory unit, a sorting unit sorts the item data searched by the index data searching unit by date. When a search request for requesting a search with designation of a keyword and a search period is made on one of terminal devices, the index data searching unit searches a plurality of the index data in the memory unit using the keyword. If the number of the hits exceeds a predetermined number, the index data searching unit re-searches the index data after shortening the search period. The WEB server outputs the results of the search or the re-search to the terminal device.

Abstract: The present invention enables a person to specify the users of terminal devices that the person desires to access common information, as members of a group, enables the users of the terminal devices to specify information to be accessed by the members of the group as information to be shared, among information provided by an information providing system via a communication network, and presents the information to be shared by the users of the terminal devices that constitute a group and enables the users to arbitrarily access the information to be shared.

Abstract: ID informing described in a receipt which is issued by a store and obtained by a user is input from a user terminal apparatus and sent to a point server through a network. The point server request sales informing in the store from the POS server based on the received receipt ID information. The POS server receives the sales informing from the store, and accumulates privilege point information. The POS server sends the privilege point information in accordance with a request from the point server. The point server adds (totalizes) the received privilege point information to the currently accumulated privilege points of the user.

Abstract: A method of distributing an advertisement is capable of reliably producing a sales promotion effect for commodities carried on the advertisement. A consumer uses a terminal to download contents data from a contents server in step S1. A banner advertisement image is transmitted from a coupon management server to the terminal in step S2. The terminal displays contents and a banner advertisement on its display screen. Thereafter, the consumer uses the terminal to access a shop Web site server, and acquires contents data including a commodity list in step S3. The coupon management server transmits coupon information to the terminal in step S4. The terminal displays the commodity list and the coupon information on the display screen. When settling information is transmitted from the terminal to the coupon management server, the coupon management server carries out a settling process.

Abstract: The above-described objects of the present invention are achieved by, in an authentication system for authenticating users who are parties to a transaction, an authentication method includes the steps of (a) supplying a first user with a matching key for a prospective transaction, (b) receiving at a second user the matching key supplied to the first user; and (c) matching the key supplied from the first user to the second user against the key supplied to the first user, after the second user has received the key from the first user.

Abstract: A requested title recognizing mechanism recognizes the title of a video requested by the subscriber. A VOD service state monitoring mechanism determines whether or not the broadcast of the video is to be provided in the FVOD or the NVOD service, and if there is any available channel for the broadcast. If the broadcast has not been switched from the FVOD service to the NVOD service, then a busy state monitoring mechanism checks the number of the current simultaneous subscribers for the video. If the number is equal to or larger than a threshold, then the busy state monitoring mechanism instructs an NVOD service providing mechanism to broadcast the requested video in the NVOD service. If the number is smaller than the threshold, then the busy state monitoring mechanism instructs an FVOD service providing mechanism to broadcast the requested video in the FVOD service.