JP2002027121A - Information distribution system by portable information terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information distribution system that can distribute useful information to a portable information terminal in a specific area via a mobile communication network. SOLUTION: An information distribution site S provided with an information distribution server Sa and a distribution information database Sb is connected to relay base stations R1, R2,... that configure a mobile communication network and send/receive a communication ratio wave to/from a portable telephone set 10 and the information distribution server Sa in the information distribution site S reads information corresponding to areas E1, E2,... in charge o the relay base stations R1, R2,... from information recorded in the distribution information database Sb and allows the relay base stations R1, R2,... to transmit the read information to the portable telephone set 10 located in the areas E1, E2,... in charge of the relay base stations R1, R2,....

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information distribution system for distributing various types of information within a specific area using a portable information terminal.

[0002]

In recent years, portable information terminals for carrying out conversations and exchanging information by using a mobile communication network such as a cellular phone have rapidly become widespread. Telephones have become indispensable as a means of communication, and are widely used for collecting various information and making friends.

[0003] The present invention has been made to further expand the use of the above-mentioned portable information terminal as a communication means.

[0004] That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a system for distributing various kinds of information to a portable information terminal via a mobile communication network, and particularly to distributing useful information in a specific area. It aims to provide an information distribution system that can do

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information distribution system based on a portable information terminal, wherein a mobile communication network is formed and communication radio waves are communicated with the portable information terminal to achieve the above object. An information distribution site having an information distribution server and a distribution information database is connected to the relay base station that performs transmission and reception, and the information distribution server of the information distribution site is connected to a portable information terminal located in the area in charge of the relay base station. In addition, information corresponding to the area in charge of the relay base station is read out of the information stored in the distribution information database and transmitted from the relay base station.

[0006] In the information distribution system using the portable information terminal according to the first aspect of the present invention, the distribution information database of the information distribution site stores advertisements, event information, and associates corresponding to the area in charge of the relay base station constituting the mobile communication network. Various information such as a search message is stored.

[0007] An information distribution server of an information distribution site is located at a portable information terminal such as a portable telephone having a display unit capable of displaying transmitted information. The information corresponding to the assigned area of the relay base station is read from the distribution information database, transmitted from the relay base station, and displayed on the display unit of the portable information terminal.

[0008] Distribution of information from this information distribution site is as follows.
In addition to when an information distribution site is accessed from a portable information terminal via a relay base station, the information distribution site accesses a portable information terminal located in an area in charge of the relay base station at predetermined time intervals. It is also done by doing.

As described above, according to the first aspect,
A system for distributing various types of information to portable information terminals via a mobile communication network is provided, and by distributing useful information in a specific area, the use of portable information terminals as a means of communication is provided. Will be able to further promote.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the information distribution server of the information distribution site further includes a relay base station. When information is input from the portable information terminal accessing this relay base station via the relay information base station, the input information is stored in the distribution information database in correspondence with the relay base station accessed by the portable information terminal. This allows the user of the portable information terminal to input the information corresponding to the area in charge of the relay base station located at that time into the distribution information database of the information distribution site, and to transmit the same relay information. It can be distributed to other portable information terminals located in the area in charge of the base station.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information distribution system using a portable information terminal in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, wherein a distribution information database of the information distribution site includes a mobile communication network. The information corresponding to the area in charge is stored for each relay base station that constitutes the information distribution server, and the information distribution server determines the relay base station accessed by the portable information terminal receiving information distribution from this information distribution site. hand,
Information corresponding to the area in charge of the relay base station determined to be accessed by the portable information terminal is read from the distribution information database and transmitted.

According to the information distribution system of the third aspect of the present invention, the information distribution server of the information distribution site receives the information from among the plurality of relay base stations constituting the mobile communication network. The relay base station that the information terminal is accessing is determined, and information corresponding to the area of the relay base station that is determined to be accessed by the portable information terminal is provided for each area of the relay base station. The information is read from the distribution information database that stores the information and is transmitted to the portable information terminal, so that one information distribution site allows a plurality of relay base stations constituting the mobile communication network to access their respective areas. The corresponding information can be distributed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the information distribution site includes a relay for forming a mobile communication network. It is characterized in that it is provided for each base station, so that information corresponding to the area in charge can be distributed for each relay base station.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the information distribution site further includes a registered user database. Information distribution server Sa,
By searching the registered user database, it is determined whether or not the portable information terminal that has accessed the relay base station is registered in advance, and if registered, the information is delivered. Thus, information can be distributed only to registered users.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the information distribution server of the information distribution site further comprises: Access to the portable information terminal located in the area in charge of the relay base station, and transmitting information corresponding to the area in charge to the portable information terminal. The carrying user can automatically receive the distribution of the information corresponding to the area in charge of the relay base station where the portable information terminal is located.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the information distribution system using a portable information terminal, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the information is a message for requesting a friend who spends idle time together. It is characterized by being
As a result, the user carrying the portable information terminal can contact another user in the area in charge of the relay base station where the portable information terminal is located, and the portable information terminal can be contacted. Utilization of the terminal as a communication means can be further promoted.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of an embodiment of a portable telephone receiving information distribution in the information distribution system by the portable information terminal of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing a mode at the time of operating the mobile phone.

In FIG. 1 and FIG.
The display panel 12 is provided with a display panel 12 at a central portion of the surface of the main body casing 11, and a cover 13 is attached to a lower portion of the display panel 12.

The opening / closing cover 13 is attached to the main body casing 11 so as to be vertically rotatable by a shaft 13A whose upper end is parallel to the lower end of the display panel 12.

An operation panel 14 is attached to a portion of the main body casing 11 which is covered by the open / close cover 13, and as shown in FIG.
On the surface of 4, the first key such as a telephone number input key and function key
An operation key K1 is arranged, and a second operation key K2 is arranged on the back side (the front side when in the open position) of the opening / closing cover 13.

In the figure of the main body casing 11, a CCD camera 18 is attached to the upper right part, and a spectrum dial 19 for performing operations such as switching of the display screen of the display panel 12 is attached to the left part.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control unit of the mobile phone 10. As shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, a transmitting / receiving circuit 21 and an image signal and an audio signal received by the transmitting / receiving circuit 21 are controlled by an antenna 20 attached to a main body casing 11 of the mobile phone 10 and described later. A data processing circuit 22 that functions as an interface with a CPU that performs processing, and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) 23 that is a high-speed arithmetic processing microprocessor are sequentially connected.

The DSP 23 has an audio codec 24
, A microphone 25 and a ringer 26 are connected to the audio codec 24, and a speaker 29 is connected via a modulation transmission circuit 27 and a reception demodulation circuit 28. The CPU 30 is connected to the data processing circuit 22 and the DSP 23.

The display panel 12 is connected to the CPU 30 via an LCD driver 31.
Further, the CCD camera 18 is connected via a signal processing circuit 32 and is attached to the opening / closing section of the opening / closing cover 13 to detect an opening / closing state of the opening / closing cover 13 and a touch panel 34 attached to the display panel 12. Is connected to a personal computer or the like, and a connector 35 for exchanging various data with the personal computer or the like is connected via an external I / F 36, and various personal devices such as a speed dial input by the user are connected. SRAM 37 in which data is recorded and RO in which various control programs of the mobile phone are recorded
M38, a first operation key K1, a second operation key K2 including various operation keys such as a function key and a numeric keypad for inputting a telephone number, and a spectrum dial 19 are respectively connected.

In the control unit of the portable telephone 10, the radio wave received by the transmission / reception circuit 21 by the antenna 20 is separated into a video signal and an audio signal in the next data processing circuit 22, and based on a command from the CPU 30. The video signal is transmitted to the CPU 30 while receiving the clock control.
And the audio signal is output to the DSP 23.

The audio signal input to the DSP 23 is subjected to audio processing in the DSP 23, input to an audio codec 24, D / A converted, and output to a speaker 29 via a modulation transmission circuit 27 and a reception demodulation circuit 28. And output to the ringer 26.

The audio signal input from the microphone 25 is subjected to A / D conversion by the audio codec 24,
DSP 23, data processing circuit 22, transmission / reception circuit 21
Is transmitted from the antenna 20 via the.

The CPU 30 controls the operation of the data processing circuit 22, the DSP 23, the LCD driver 31 and the like according to various control programs of the mobile phone stored in the ROM 38.

That is, the CPU 30 operates the first operation key K
A control program corresponding to the operation signal is read from the ROM 38 based on an operation signal from the operation key of the first or second operation key K2, and image data of the operation screen is output to the LCD driver 31 based on the read control program. To display an operation screen on the display panel 12, control the operation of the data processing circuit 22 and the DSP 23, write and read data to and from the SRAM 37, and communicate with a personal computer or the like to which the connector 35 is connected. The exchange of data of etc. is performed.

Further, when the display screen is switched by the spectrum dial 19, the CPU 30 stores the corresponding image data read from the ROM 38 into L.
Output to the CD driver 31 and the display panel 12
The screen displayed on the screen is switched.

Further, when an image is taken by the CCD camera 18, the CPU 30 receives a video signal from the CCD camera 18 that has been subjected to signal processing by the signal processing circuit 32, and sends this video signal to the LCD driver 31. By outputting, the captured image is displayed on the display panel 12.

In this example, the portable telephone 10 is a telephone and new information, mail, web, music / image, PIM.
(Personal Information Manager) are installed. As shown in FIG. 4, a telephone screen A and a new information screen B, a mail screen C, a web screen D, and a music / image screen corresponding to each application are provided. The E and PIM screens F are sequentially displayed on the display panel 12 by operating the spectrum dial 19.

FIG. 5A shows an example of a telephone screen A displayed on the display panel 12.
(B) shows an example of a new arrival information screen B, (c) shows an example of a mail screen C, (d) shows an example of a web screen D, (e) shows an example of a music / image screen E, and (f). Shows an example of the PIM screen F.

FIG. 6 shows a screen A of each application.
FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram showing a screen image when F is displayed on a display panel 12.

That is, each of the display screens A to F is image-wise arranged in a radially divided area of the disk T centered on the spectrum dial 19 in the arrangement of FIG. The screens A to F on the disk T appear sequentially in the display panel 12 by rotating the disk T about the spectrum dial 19 by rotating the spectrum dial 19.

The radially divided areas of the disk T are color-coded, and the background color is different for each of the screens A to F displayed on the display panel 12.

As shown in FIG. 7, contents Aa to Fa corresponding to each application are spatially constructed on each of the screens A to F.

As shown in FIG. 8, each application is provided with input editing screens A 'to F' which are displayed in place of screens A to F by mode switching.

The display modes of the screens A to F and the input and edit screens A 'to F' on the display panel 12 and the contents Aa to F corresponding to each application are shown.
The construction of a is executed by a program stored in the ROM 38 (see FIG. 3) of the control unit.

FIG. 9 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of an embodiment of an information distribution system using a portable information terminal according to the present invention.

In FIG. 9, respective areas E1 and E for transmitting and receiving communication radio waves to and from the mobile phone 10 are shown.
2 are respectively connected to the exchange EX.
Is connected to a public telephone line network N1, the Internet I, and another mobile communication network N2.

This configuration is the same as that of the conventional mobile communication network. The mobile phone 1 is connected via the mobile communication network.
The information distribution site S that distributes information to the base stations R1 and R2 via the public telephone network N1 and the exchange EX.
, And distributes information to the mobile phone 10 that has accessed the relay base stations R1, R2,.

This information distribution site S is a portable telephone 10
An information distribution server Sa that determines which relay base stations R1, R2,... Have accessed and distributes information, and a distribution information database Sb in which information to be distributed is stored separately for each relay base station R1, R2,. And a registered user database Sc in which registration information of users for receiving information distribution is stored.

The information distribution server S of the information distribution site S
a, when the mobile phone 10 accesses one of the relay base stations R1, R2,... and is connected to the information distribution site S,
Is provided with a program for determining which of the relay base stations R1, R2,... The mobile phone 10 has accessed, and information corresponding to the relay base stations R1, R2,. Is set to be read from the distribution information database Sb and transmitted to the mobile phone 10.

Further, the information distribution server Sa checks the ID (telephone number) of the mobile phone 10 that has accessed the information with the registration information of the user stored in the registered user database Sc to determine the information that requires user registration. The setting is made so as to determine whether or not to perform distribution and whether or not to accept information input for performing distribution from the mobile phone 10 as described later.

Various information for distribution to the mobile phone 10 is stored in the distribution information database Sb at each relay base station R.
1, R2,... Are stored separately for each area in charge.

The registered user database Sc stores in advance user registration information for receiving distribution of information that requires user registration.

Next, a description will be given of an operation procedure in the mobile phone 10 when the mobile phone 10 receives distribution information, and a process of information distribution in the information distribution site S.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a main routine when the mode of the mobile phone 10 is switched (selection of an application).

In FIG. 10, the CPU 30 (see FIG. 3) determines whether or not input editing is being performed (step a).
1) If input editing is not being performed, it is next determined whether or not the spectrum dial 19 has been operated and whether or not a link buffer has been set in the application selected by operating the spectrum dial 19 (step a2). ).

In step a2, when the operation of the spectrum dial 19 is performed, the mode is switched to the application selected by the operation of the spectrum dial 19, and the link buffer is set in the selected application. If so, the link buffer is cleared (step a3). Then, the process proceeds to the viewer mode subroutine of each application (step a4).

If there is no operation on the spectrum dial 19 in step a2, the process proceeds to the subroutine of step a4 in the viewer mode of the application selected by the previous operation. If input editing is being performed in step a1, the process proceeds to a subroutine in the input editing mode of the application selected by the previous operation (step a5).

Then, it is determined whether or not the end key is input (step a6). If there is no end key input, the procedure from step a1 is repeated. Exit the viewer or input editing mode of the application.

In the mode switching operation of the mobile phone 10, when the user receives distribution of information corresponding to the area where the mobile phone 10 is located (the area in charge of the relay base stations R1, R2,...). The telephone screen A is displayed on the display panel 12 of the mobile phone 10 by selecting the viewer mode of the telephone application.

Then, the ID of the information distribution site S is displayed on the mobile phone 10 as the first operation key K1 and the second operation key K.
When the input is performed by operating the numeric keypad arranged in the CPU 2, the CPU 30 transmits a call signal based on the input telephone number from the antenna 20 via the data processing circuit 22 and the transmission / reception circuit 21 (FIG. 3). reference).

This call signal is transmitted to relay base stations R1, R2,.
Among the relay base stations (in the example of FIG. 9, the relay base station R
1) and input to the information distribution site S via the exchange EX and the public telephone network N1.

When the mobile telephone 10 is connected to the information distribution site S via a line, the information distribution server Sa of the information distribution site S determines the relay base station receiving the communication radio wave from the mobile telephone 10 and By searching the registered user database Sc based on the ID of the mobile phone 10, it is determined whether or not the accessed mobile phone 10 is registered.

When the accessed mobile phone 10 is registered, the information distribution server Sa corresponds to the relay base station R1 receiving the communication radio wave from the mobile phone 10 from the distribution information database Sb. It reads out the stored information and transmits it to the mobile phone 10 via the public telephone network N1, the exchange EX, and the relay base station R1.

The mobile phone 10 receiving the transmission of the distribution information by the antenna 20 and the transmission / reception circuit 21 (see FIG. 3) demodulates the data signal indicating the distribution information in the data processing circuit 22 and controls the CP while controlling the clock.
U30 is input.

When an audio signal is included in the digital video signal, the audio signal is transmitted to the data processing circuit 22.
Are separated and input to the DSP 23 and output from the speaker 29 of the mobile phone 10 as described above.

When the distribution information data signal input to CPU 30 has been subjected to compression processing,
At 0, the data is decompressed by the compression / decompression program read from the ROM 38, and then output to the LCD driver 31.

Then, the LCD driver 31 displays an image indicating the distribution information on the display panel 12 based on the input distribution information data signal. When the information distributed from the information distribution site S does not require the user registration, the information distribution server Sa performs the distribution information without collating the ID of the mobile phone 10 accessed by the registered user database Sc. The information of the corresponding area stored in the database Sb is distributed.

As described above, the user can obtain various kinds of information in the area where the user is located by using the mobile phone 10.

As information distributed from the information distribution site S, in addition to advertisement information, event information, and the like, communication information named as cast information as described below is proposed.

The free time information is a message indicating that a partner who wants to spend a vacant time together in the area in charge of the same relay base station is requested.

In the information distribution system, a free time user can access the cast information previously recorded in the distribution information database Sb of the information distribution site S from another mobile phone 10 located in the same area. Is sent to the other mobile phone 10 that has accessed it.

FIG. 11 shows an example of a screen for displaying cast information displayed on the display panel 12 of the mobile phone 10 to which information has been distributed.

When information desired to be distributed to other users, such as the cast information, is transmitted from the mobile phone 10 to the information distribution site S, the mobile phone 10 accesses the information distribution site S, and After the telephone 10 is connected to the information distribution site S, the first
This is performed by operating the operation key K1 or the second operation key K2 (see FIG. 3) to input information and transmitting the information to the information distribution site S.

The information distribution server Sa of the information distribution site S, which has received the input signal of the information to be distributed, transmits to the relay base station R1,
R2, which relay base station is being accessed, and the input information is classified into areas that are handled by relay base stations R1, R2,. To record.

The cast information and the like recorded in the distribution information database Sb are distributed to the other mobile telephones 10 accessing the information distribution site S from the same area according to the procedure described above.

In the above description, the information distribution site S
Is shown only when the information distribution site S is accessed from the mobile phone 10 which is a portable information terminal.
The information stored in the distribution information database Sb may be automatically distributed by periodically accessing the mobile phone 10 located in the corresponding distribution area.

In the above description, the information distribution site S
Is connected to a plurality of relay base stations via the exchange EX, and by determining the relay base station being accessed by the portable information terminal, information corresponding to the area served by the relay base station is determined. Is shown, an information distribution site may be connected to each relay base station, and information corresponding to an area in which each relay base station is in charge may be distributed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of a mobile phone used in the present invention with an opening / closing cover closed.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the mobile phone in a state where an opening / closing cover is opened.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control unit of the mobile phone.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an image of an arrangement of application screens in the mobile phone.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an application screen in the mobile phone.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a display form of an application screen in the mobile phone.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a form of an application screen in the mobile phone.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an image of an arrangement of an input edit screen of each application in the mobile phone.

FIG. 9 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of an embodiment of an information distribution system according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a main routine of screen display control performed in the control unit of the mobile phone when using the information distribution system.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on a display panel of a mobile phone in the same example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Mobile telephone 11 ... Main body casing 12 ... Display panel (display part) 13 ... Opening / closing cover 14 ... Operation panel 19 ... Spectrum dial (operation part) 30 ... CPU 31 ... LCD driver 34 ... Touch panel 37 ... SRAM 38 ... ROM A ... Phone screen B… New information screen C… Mail screen D… Web screen E… Music / image screen F… PIM screen T… Line connection terminal N1… Public telephone network N2… Mobile communication network E1, E2… Responsible area EX… Exchange stations R1, R2 ... relay base station S ... information distribution site Sa ... information distribution server Sb ... distribution information database Sc ... registered user database

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (Reference) H04M 3/42 H04M 3/42 U 11/08 11/08 H04B 7/26 109M (72) Inventor Mizuki Tomono Tokyo 1-4-1 Meguro, Meguro-ku, Pioneer Design Inc. (72) Inventor Takenori Nakatsuka 1-4-1, Meguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo Pioneer Design Inc. (72) Inventor Mikiko Arakawa Iruma, Saitama 678-11 Teratake (72) Inventor Katsumi Kobayashi 1-3-1-21 Kawaguchi, Kawaguchi City, Saitama F-term (Reference) 5B049 BB00 CC31 EE05 GG06 5K015 AB01 AD01 AF06 AF08 GA07 5K024 AA76 BB05 CC11 DD01 DD02 EE01 EE04 FF01 GG05 GG01 GG08 GG10 5K067 AA21 BB04 BB21 EE02 EE10 EE16 GG01 HH05 HH23 5K101 KK16 LL12 MM07 NN02 NN06 NN18 PP03

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An information distribution site comprising an information distribution server and a distribution information database is connected to a relay base station which constitutes a mobile communication network and transmits and receives communication radio waves to and from a portable information terminal. The information distribution server of the distribution site reads out the information corresponding to the area in charge of the relay base station from the information stored in the distribution information database to the portable information terminal located in the area in charge of the relay base station. An information distribution system using a portable information terminal, wherein the information is transmitted from a relay base station. 2. An information distribution server of the information distribution site, when receiving information from a portable information terminal accessing the relay base station via the relay base station, transfers the input information to a portable information terminal. 2. The information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the information is stored in the distribution information database in correspondence with the relay base station being accessed by the information terminal. 3. A distribution information database of the information distribution site stores information corresponding to an area in charge of each relay base station constituting a mobile communication network, and an information distribution server transmits information from the information distribution site to the relay base station. The mobile information terminal receiving the distribution determines the relay base station being accessed, and reads from the distribution information database information corresponding to the area in charge of the relay base station determined to be accessed by the mobile information terminal. The information distribution system by the portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the information is transmitted. 4. The information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the information distribution site is provided for each relay base station configuring a mobile communication network. 5. The information distribution site further includes a registered user database, and the information distribution server Sa searches the registered user database, whereby the portable information terminal accessing the relay base station is registered in advance. The information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the information distribution system determines whether or not the information is registered and distributes the information when the information is registered. 6. An information distribution server of the information distribution site accesses a portable information terminal located in a service area of a relay base station at predetermined time intervals, and stores information corresponding to the service area in the portable information terminal. Claim 1 to transmit to terminal
An information distribution system using the portable information terminal described in the above item. 7. The information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the information is a message requesting a friend who spends free time together.