JP2008193267A - Communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve convenience by evading the troublesome procedure of inputting a URL in accessing resources on a network using a mobile phone terminal or the like. <P>SOLUTION: In the system, the mobile phone terminal or the like 1 receives the input of a telephone number and makes a call to a support apparatus 2 indicated by the telephone number, the support apparatus 2 returns an induction signal including the URL in response, and the mobile phone terminal or the like 1 which has received the induction signal accesses the resource 3 indicated by the URL included in the induction signal. In such a system, the desired resource 3 is accessed not by the URL but by the telephone number. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention particularly relates to a system for accessing resources on a network using a mobile phone terminal or the like.

In recent years, it has become common to use mobile phone terminals to access resources on a local network or the Internet provided by a communication carrier and enjoy various information services. A resource on the network is generally indicated by a URL (Uniform Resource Locator). When accessing a resource, a user of a mobile phone terminal needs to perform an operation of inputting a URL of a desired access destination (for example, refer to the following patent document).
JP-A-2005-216076

  URLs are still unfamiliar to those who are not familiar with mobile phone terminals or personal computers (especially for relatively older people). Assuming a situation like television shopping where products are introduced through television broadcasting and purchase orders are received by a server computer on the network, the URL is displayed on the screen or output as audio in a program or commercial and presented to the user. In fact, there is a case where it is not possible to match words like a telephone number, so it is not easy for the user to remember the URL. In addition, most mobile phone terminals are equipped with only operation buttons corresponding to each number so as to be suitable for inputting a telephone number, and English characters constituting the URL, “:”, “/”, “@” It can be said that it is inconvenient to input symbols such as. These problems are a barrier to the user's access to the server and ordering goods, which can result in missed sales opportunities.

  The present invention made in view of the above is intended to improve convenience by avoiding a cumbersome procedure of inputting a URL when a resource on a network is accessed using a mobile phone terminal or the like. It is said.

  In the present invention, a terminal device used by a user, a support device indicated by a predetermined telephone number and capable of communicating via a telephone network, and information processing indicated by a predetermined URL and capable of communicating via an information communication network A URL storage unit that stores data related to a URL that points to the information processing device, and an incoming call that receives a call originating from the terminal device via a telephone network And a trigger signal transmitter that reads data related to the URL stored in the URL storage unit when a call is received and transmits a trigger signal including the data to the terminal device via the telephone network. The terminal device accepts input of data relating to the telephone number indicating the support device, and receives data relating to the telephone number accepted. A memorized telephone number storage unit, a caller unit that reads out data related to a telephone number stored in the telephone number storage unit and calls the support apparatus via the telephone network using the telephone number, and the support apparatus An inducement signal receiving unit for receiving an inducement signal brought from the telephone network via the telephone network, an inducement signal storage unit for storing data relating to the URL included in the received inducement signal, and a URL stored in the inducement signal storage unit An information communication unit that reads data and uses the URL to connect to the information processing apparatus via the information communication network.

  That is, the terminal device accepts an input of a telephone number, makes a telephone call to the support device indicated by the telephone number, and the support device calls and responds to the terminal device with a trigger signal including a URL, In this system, the terminal device that has received the trigger signal is connected to the information processing device indicated by the URL included in the trigger signal. In such a case, it becomes possible to access a desired resource using a telephone number instead of a URL.

  According to the present invention, when accessing a resource on a network using a mobile phone terminal or the like, it is possible to avoid a cumbersome procedure of inputting a URL and improve convenience.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the communication system of this embodiment includes a terminal device 1 used by a user, a mobile phone network, a PHS (Personal Handy-phone System) network, a public telephone network, an IP (Internet Protocol) telephone network, and the like. A support device 2 capable of communicating with the terminal device 1 via the telephone network 4 and an information processing device 3 capable of communicating with the terminal device 1 via the information communication network 5 such as a local network of the communication carrier or the Internet. ing.

  The terminal device 1 is, for example, a mobile phone terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a personal computer, a video game machine, or the like. As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal apparatus 1 includes hardware such as a processor 1a, a main memory 1b, an auxiliary storage device 1c, a display control device 1d, a display 1e, an operation input device 1f, a voice input / output device 1g, and a communication interface 1h. Resources are provided, and these are controlled by a controller (system controller, I / O controller, etc.) 1i to operate in cooperation. The auxiliary storage device 1c is a flash memory, a hard disk drive, an optical disk drive, or the like. The display control device 1d generates a video chip (graphics chip) to be displayed based on a drawing command received from the processor 1a and sends it to the display 1e, a video memory for temporarily storing image data, etc. Etc. as elements. The operation input device 1f is a pointing device such as a push button, a keyboard, a touch panel, a track pad, or a mouse that can be operated with fingers. The voice input / output device 1g includes a CODEC (CODEr-DEcoder), a speaker, a microphone, and the like. The communication interface 1 h is a device that performs communication via the telephone network 4 and the information communication network 5. Since the terminal device 1 of the present embodiment is connected to the telephone network 4 and the information communication network 5 via the base station 6, the communication interface 1h includes a wireless communication device for wireless communication with the base station 6 as an element. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an interface such as a modem for connecting to the telephone network 4, a wireless LAN transceiver for connecting to the information communication network 5, NIC (Network Interface Card), USB (Universal Serial Bus), etc. It can also be adopted.

  Usually, a program to be executed by the processor 1a is installed in the auxiliary storage device 1c, and when the program is executed, it is read from the auxiliary storage device 1c into the main memory 1b and decoded by the processor 1a. In this embodiment, an OS (Operating System) program and various device driver programs attached thereto are installed in advance to mediate the use of the hardware resources by other programs. In addition, a program necessary for carrying out the communication method according to the present invention is installed. The program is used when communicating with the information processing apparatus 3 such as a web browser, an e-mail client, a VPN (Virtual Private Network) client, a net conference client, a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) client, and the like to enjoy an information service. May be functional. Then, the hardware resources are operated according to these programs, and the telephone number input receiving unit 11, the telephone number storage unit 12, the calling unit 13, the calling signal receiving unit 14, the calling signal storage unit 15, information shown in FIG. The function as the communication unit 16 is exhibited.

  The telephone number input receiving unit 11 receives an input of a telephone number indicating the other party connected to the terminal device 1 via the telephone network 4, that is, the support device 2. Basically, the telephone number manually input by the user via the operation input device 1f is acquired. However, the telephone number is input by voice through the microphone of the voice input / output device 1g, and the voice is analyzed to determine the telephone number. Acquisition may be performed. When a camera is mounted on the terminal device 1, an OCR (Optical Character Reader) process for analyzing an image obtained by photographing a telephone number with the camera and acquiring the telephone number can be executed. . Alternatively, a mode in which a barcode or two-dimensional code obtained by encoding a telephone number is read through a camera or a code reader mounted on the terminal device 1 or a telephone number stored in a required RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tag is used as a terminal. A mode of reading via an RFID reader mounted on the apparatus 1 can also be taken.

  The telephone number storage unit 12 stores the telephone number received by the telephone number input receiving unit 11. The telephone number storage unit 12 uses a required storage area of the main memory 1b or the auxiliary storage device 1c.

  The calling unit 13 reads the telephone number stored in the telephone number storage unit 12, and makes a telephone call via the telephone network 4 to the support device 2 specified by the telephone number. The calling unit 13 uses the communication interface 1h.

  The wake-up signal receiving unit 14 receives the wake-up signal provided from the support device 2 that has received the call via the telephone network 4. The trigger signal receiving unit 14 uses the communication interface 1h. This trigger signal includes at least a URL indicating the other party connected from the terminal device 1 via the information communication network 5, that is, the information processing device 3. The URL included in the trigger signal may be an absolute path or a relative path. In other words, the entire URL of the information processing device 3 is not necessarily included in the trigger signal. For example, when the protocol used when the terminal device 1 accesses the information processing device 3 is determined in advance, the scheme name portion of the URL may not be included in the trigger signal. In this case, the scheme name can be stored in the main memory 1b or the auxiliary storage device 1c of the terminal device 1, and the information processing device 3 can be accessed by adding the scheme name to the received URL. The same applies when the host name or domain name of the information processing apparatus 3 is known.

  The trigger signal storage unit 15 stores the URL included in the trigger signal received by the trigger signal receiving unit 14. If the trigger signal includes data other than the URL, and the data needs to be transmitted to the information processing apparatus 3 or referred to in the exchange with the information processing apparatus 3, this is also stored. The trigger signal storage unit uses a required storage area of the main memory 1b or the auxiliary storage device 1c.

  The information communication unit 16 reads out the URL stored in the trigger signal storage unit, and transmits HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) or other protocol to the information processing device 3 specified by the URL via the information communication network 5. Is transmitted to the information processing device 3 through communication. When communicating with the information processing device 3, data (other than the URL) stored in the trigger signal storage unit 15 can be transmitted to the information processing device 3. The information communication unit 16 uses the communication interface 1h.

  The support device 2 is a device that can perform data communication via the telephone network 4 such as a facsimile, and has a role of providing the terminal device 1 with the URL of the information processing device 3 that is the final connection destination. As shown in FIG. 4, the support apparatus 2 includes hardware resources such as a processor 2a, a main memory 2b, an auxiliary storage device 2c, and a communication interface 2d, and these are controlled by a controller 2e to operate in cooperation. The communication interface 2 e is a device that performs communication via the telephone network 4. In this embodiment, a modem or the like for connecting to the telephone network 4 is used as an element, but the present invention is not limited to this. Further, it does not prevent the implementation of an interface for connecting to the information communication network 5.

  Normally, a program to be executed by the processor 2a is installed in the auxiliary storage device 2c, and when the program is executed, it is read from the auxiliary storage device 2c into the main memory 2b and decoded by the processor 2a. In the present embodiment, an OS program and various device driver programs attached thereto are installed in advance to mediate use of the hardware resources by other programs. In addition, programs necessary for carrying out the communication method according to the present invention are installed, and the hardware resources are operated according to these programs, so that the URL storage unit 21, the incoming unit 22, The function as the trigger signal transmitter 23 is exhibited.

  The URL storage unit 21 stores the URL of the information processing device 3. As already mentioned, the URL may be an absolute path or a relative path. When it is necessary to provide the terminal device 1 with data other than the URL included in the trigger signal, the data is also stored. The URL storage unit 21 uses a required storage area of the main memory 2b or the auxiliary storage device 2c.

  The incoming call unit 22 receives a telephone call made from the terminal device 1 via the telephone network 4. At this time, an identification number for identifying the terminal device 1, in particular a telephone number, can be acquired, and the time and / or date of the incoming call can also be acquired from the time counting circuit inside the support device 2. Also, a unique session ID may be generated. The incoming call unit 22 uses the communication interface 2d.

  After receiving the telephone call from the terminal device 1, the trigger signal transmission unit 23 reads the URL stored in the URL storage unit 21, and sends the trigger signal including the URL to the terminal device 1 via the telephone network 4. Send back. When data (other than URL) to be included in the trigger signal is stored in the URL storage unit 21, the data is also included in the trigger signal. You may include the identification number of the terminal device 1 acquired at the time of an incoming call, data such as an incoming call time / date, a session ID, etc. in the initiating signal. These data can be transmitted from the terminal device 1 to the information processing device 3, or can be referred to when the terminal device 1 exchanges with the information processing device 3. The trigger signal transmitter 23 uses the communication interface 2d.

  The information processing device 3 communicates with the terminal device 1 via the information communication network 5 and provides a required information service. The information processing device 3 is, for example, a known web server, e-mail server, VPN server, net conference server, VoIP server, or the like. The information processing device 3 may be communicably connected to the support device 2. In that case, it is possible to provide the information processing device 3 (directly without the terminal device 1) with data such as the identification number of the terminal device 1 and the incoming call time / date acquired by the support device 2. It is also conceivable that the information processing device 3 and the support device 2 are integrated into a server computer.

  The procedure of processing executed by the terminal device 1 and the support device 2 according to the program will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. The terminal device 1 accepts input of data related to the telephone number indicating the support device 2 (step S1) and stores the data (step S2). Then, the stored data is read (step S3) and a telephone call is made (step S4). There may be a time lag between step S2 and steps S3 and S4. For example, the input of the telephone number in step S2 is registration in a so-called “phone book (address book)” that is not intended for immediate call / communication connection, and the telephone number is used afterwards. This is the case when making a call / communication connection.

  When the support device 2 accepts a call from the terminal device 1 (step S5), the support device 2 reads the stored URL-related data (step S6) and generates and sends a trigger signal including the data (step S6). S7). The trigger signal can include data other than the URL.

  When the terminal device 1 receives the trigger signal from the support device 2 (step S8), the terminal device 1 stores the data included in the trigger signal (step S9). Then, after successful transmission / reception of the trigger signal, the line connection between the terminal device 1 and the support device 2 is disconnected (step S10). Here, the terminal device 1 disconnects the line connection. However, the terminal device 1 does not prevent the support device 2 from disconnecting the line connection.

  Subsequently, the terminal device 1 reads out the data related to the stored URL (step S11), and uses this to attempt communication connection with the information processing device 3 (step S12). When data other than URL is included in the trigger signal, the data can be transmitted from the terminal device 1 to the information processing device 3. The terminal device 1 can also refer to the data during the exchange with the information processing device 3.

  According to the present embodiment, the terminal device 1 used by the user, the support device 2 indicated by a predetermined telephone number and capable of communicating via the telephone network 4, and the information communication network 5 indicated by a predetermined URL. In the communication system including the information processing device 3 that can communicate via the URL, the support device 2 stores a URL storage unit 21 that stores data related to the URL that points to the information processing device 3, and the terminal device 1 makes a telephone call. An incoming call unit 22 that accepts a call made via the network 4, and reads data related to the URL stored in the URL storage unit 21 when the call is accepted, and sends a call signal including the data to the telephone network 4 Phone number input for receiving data related to a telephone number indicating the support device 2. Attached part 11, telephone number storage part 12 for storing data relating to the telephone number for which the input has been received, data relating to the telephone number stored in the telephone number storage part 12 are read out and the telephone network 4 is established using the telephone number. A calling unit 13 that calls the support device 2 via the telephone network 4, a trigger signal receiving unit 14 that receives a trigger signal from the support device 2 via the telephone network 4, and a URL included in the received trigger signal. An inducement signal storage unit 15 that stores data, and information communication that reads data related to the URL stored in the inducement signal storage unit 15 and communicates with the information processing device 3 via the information communication network 5 using the URL. The terminal device 1 receives the input of the telephone number, makes a telephone call to the support device 2 indicated by the telephone number, The support device 2 returns an inducement signal including a URL to the terminal device 1, and the terminal device 1 that has received the inducement signal can access the information processing device 3 (resource embodied) indicated by the URL. . Accordingly, it is possible to avoid a troublesome procedure in which the user manually inputs the URL into the terminal device 1.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described in detail above. Various modifications can be made to the specific configuration of each part, processing procedure, and the like without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

The figure which shows the whole communication system of the actual form of this invention. The figure which shows the hardware resource with which a terminal device is provided. The functional block diagram of a terminal device and a support device. The figure which shows the hardware resource with which an assistance apparatus is provided. The flowchart which shows the procedure of the process which a terminal device performs according to a program. The flowchart which shows the procedure of the process which a assistance apparatus performs according to a program.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Terminal device 11 ... Telephone number input reception part 12 ... Telephone number memory | storage part 13 ... Calling part 14 ... Invitation signal receiving part 15 ... Invitation signal memory | storage part 16 ... Information communication part 2 ... Support apparatus 21 ... URL memory | storage part 22 ... Incoming call unit 23 ... Initiation signal transmission unit 3 ... Information processing device 4 ... Telephone network 5 ... Information communication network

Claims (6)

Includes a terminal device used by a user, a support device pointed to by a predetermined telephone number and capable of communicating via a telephone network, and an information processing device pointed to by a predetermined URL and capable of communicating via an information communication network Communication system
The support device is
A URL storage unit for storing data related to a URL indicating the information processing apparatus;
An incoming call unit that receives a call originating from the terminal device via a telephone network;
An invocation signal transmission unit that reads out data related to a URL stored in the URL storage unit when a call is received and transmits an invocation signal including the data to the terminal device via a telephone network; The device
A telephone number input receiving unit for receiving input of data relating to a telephone number indicating the support device;
A telephone number storage unit for storing data relating to the telephone number that has been accepted;
A calling unit that reads data related to a telephone number stored in the telephone number storage unit and calls the support apparatus via the telephone network using the telephone number;
An evoked signal receiver for receiving an evoked signal from the support device via a telephone network;
A trigger signal storage unit for storing data related to the URL included in the received trigger signal;
A communication system comprising: an information communication unit that reads data related to a URL stored in the trigger signal storage unit and communicates and connects to the information processing apparatus via the information communication network using the URL. It is used for constructing the communication system according to claim 1,
A URL storage unit that stores data related to a URL indicating the information processing apparatus;
An incoming call unit that receives a call originating from the terminal device via the telephone network;
A support apparatus comprising: an invocation signal transmission unit that reads data related to a URL stored in the URL storage unit when a call is received and transmits an invocation signal including the data to the terminal device via a telephone network. It is used for constructing the communication system according to claim 1, and the electronic computer is at least
A URL storage unit for storing data related to the URL indicating the information processing apparatus;
An incoming call unit that receives a call originating from the terminal device via the telephone network; and
A program that functions as an invocation signal transmission unit that reads data relating to a URL stored in the URL storage unit when a call is received and transmits an invocation signal including the data to the terminal device via a telephone network. It is used for constructing the communication system according to claim 1,
A telephone number input receiving unit that receives input of data relating to the telephone number indicating the support device;
A telephone number storage unit for storing data relating to the telephone number that has been accepted;
A calling unit that reads data related to a telephone number stored in the telephone number storage unit and calls the support apparatus via the telephone network using the telephone number;
An evoked signal receiver for receiving an evoked signal from the support device via a telephone network;
A trigger signal storage unit for storing data related to the URL included in the received trigger signal;
A terminal device comprising: an information communication unit that reads data related to a URL stored in the trigger signal storage unit and communicates and connects to an information processing device via an information communication network using the URL. It is used for constructing the information communication system according to claim 1, and the electronic computer is at least
A telephone number input accepting unit for accepting input of data relating to the telephone number indicating the support device;
A telephone number storage unit for storing data related to the telephone number that has been accepted;
A calling unit that reads out data related to a telephone number stored in the telephone number storage unit and calls the support apparatus via the telephone network using the telephone number;
An evoked signal receiving unit for receiving an evoked signal from the support device via a telephone network;
A trigger signal storage unit for storing data related to the URL included in the received trigger signal, and
A program that reads data related to a URL stored in the trigger signal storage unit and functions as an information communication unit that communicates and connects to an information processing apparatus via an information communication network using the URL. Includes a terminal device used by a user, a support device pointed to by a predetermined telephone number and capable of communicating via a telephone network, and an information processing device pointed to by a predetermined URL and capable of communicating via an information communication network A communication method in a communication system that includes:
The terminal device accepting input of data relating to a telephone number indicating the support device;
The terminal device storing data relating to the telephone number that has been accepted;
The terminal device reads out data relating to the stored telephone number and uses the telephone number to make a call to the support device via the telephone network;
The support device accepting a call originating from the terminal device via a telephone network;
When the support device accepts a call, reads data relating to a URL stored in advance, and transmits a trigger signal including the data to the terminal device via a telephone network;
The terminal device receiving an evoked signal from the support device via a telephone network;
The terminal device stores data relating to the URL included in the received trigger signal;
A communication method comprising the step of: the terminal device reading out data relating to the stored URL and communicating and connecting to the information processing device via the information communication network using the URL.

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