Data conversion method and apparatus to partially hide data

Abstract

This invention provides a technique to correctly inform the human being of content of contents to be published but to prevent machines from collecting part of the contents whose distribution is not desired by the information provider. This invention includes: reading out contents data to be published, which includes text data, and identifying a character string whose output as the text data should be avoided from the contents data; converting the identified character string into substitution data other than the text data so as to maintain content of the identified character string; and generating publication contents data to maintain publication content of the contents data by using data other than the identified character string in the contents data and the substitution data. Thus, by carrying out such a processing, it becomes possible to conceal the character string against machines without changing the publication content for the human being.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram to explain a system outline according to a first embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a processing flow in an information provider terminal according to the first embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a display example of normal contents, and FIG. 3B to FIG. 3D are diagrams showing display examples of the substitution contents;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another display example of the substitution contents;

FIG. 5A is a diagram showing an example of an HTML file of normal contents, and FIG. 5B to FIG. 5D are diagrams showing an HTML file in a case of the substitution contents;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a processing flow of a delivery processing according to the first embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a system outline according to a second embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a processing flow of a server according to the second embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram of a computer.

Claims

1. A data conversion program embodied on a medium, said data conversion program comprising: reading out contents data to be published, which includes text data, and identifying a character string whose output as text data should be avoided, from the read contents data;converting the identified character string into substitution data other than said text data so as to maintain content of said identified character string; andgenerating publication contents data to maintain publication content of said read contents data by using data other than said identified character string in said read contents data and said substitution data.

2. The data conversion program as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reading and identifying include extracting personal information of a predetermined type.

3. The data conversion program as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reading and identifying include extracting at least a part of a character string of a predetermined type.

4. The data conversion program as set forth in claim 1, wherein said substitution data is image data or voice data representing said identified character string.

5. The data conversion program as set forth in claim 1, wherein said substitution data is image data representing the identified character string, and said image data includes an image having cursive or irregular fonts corresponding to characters included in said identified character string.

6. The data conversion program as set forth in claim 1, wherein said publication contents data includes reference data to said substitution data.

7. The data conversion program as set forth in claim 1, wherein said publication contents data includes data to display said substitution data in another window.

8. The data conversion program as set forth in claim 1, wherein said publication contents data is data to display a combination of said data other than said identified character string in said contents data and said substitution data.

9. The data conversion program as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: judging whether a transmission source of a contents data request is registered in a publication refusal list or is not registered in a publication approval list, upon receiving said contents data request;upon detecting that said transmission source of said contents data request is registered in said publication refusal list or is not registered in said publication approval list, transmitting said publication contents data to said transmission source of said contents data request; andupon detecting that said transmission source of said contents data request is not registered in said publication refusal list or is registered in said publication approval list, transmitting said contents data to said transmission source of said contents data request.

10. A data conversion method, comprising: reading out contents data to be published, which includes text data, and identifying a character string whose output as text data should be avoided, from the read contents data;converting the identified character string into substitution data other than said text data so as to maintain content of said identified character string; andgenerating publication contents data to maintain publication content of said read contents data by using data other than said identified character string in said read contents data and said substitution data.

11. A data conversion apparatus, comprising: a unit that reads out contents data to be published, which includes text data, and identifies a character string whose output as text data should be avoided, from the read contents data;a unit that converts the identified character string into substitution data other than said text data so as to maintain content of said identified character string; anda unit that generates publication contents data to maintain publication content of said read contents data by using data other than said identified character string in said read contents data and said substitution data.