JP2009175873A - Management server for display device network system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a practical system for enabling an operator at a job site to easily change display content by using a portable telephone set or a personal computer as an input tool. <P>SOLUTION: A first communication means is communicatively connected to a user who tries to perform access through the Internet, and a second communication means is communicatively connected to a plurality of display devices connected to a public radio communication network, and an operation program database is configured to store an operation program associated with a device identifier and user identifier information, and the program includes display object information and display schedule information. Program update processing is performed by communicating with a user who tries to perform access to the first communication means, and when receiving valid identification information, transmitting the content of an operation program associated with the user identification information to the user computer, and updating the operation program content in response to a request from the computer. The program transmission processing is performed by calling the pertinent display device by the second communication means based on the device identifier associated with the program, and transmitting the program to the display device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a management server for a display device network system in which a plurality of display devices that are installed at a store and used as an electronic signboard are connected by a network, and each display device is operated in accordance with each owner's request. . A display device network system similar to the present invention has recently been referred to as a digital signage system.

  In the downtown area of the city, in recent years, various kinds of electronic signboards using LED displays have been frequently seen. For example, a large-screen electronic signage that displays a full-color video such as a TV broadcast, or a small electronic signage that displays simple monochrome or multi-color images centered on text messages such as “open” It is various.

  Japanese Patent Nos. 3957843, 2002-49356, and 2003-202849 provide convenience for store staff (on-site operators) who install and operate this type of electronic signboard. An invention to improve is disclosed.

  Site operators want to change the display content of electronic signboards installed in stores according to the season, time of day, and business details. Many electronic signboards are configured so that an operator can change display contents. However, since it is extremely difficult to make changes, there are few operators who frequently change the display contents using this function.

  The idea of using a mobile phone or personal computer that many people are accustomed to as an input tool for changing the display contents can be conceived even by those skilled in the art. However, in a display device network system (digital signage system), no practical system has yet been developed that allows mobile operators and personal computers to easily change display contents using a mobile phone or a personal computer as an input tool. An object of the present invention is to provide such a practical system.

The management server of the display device network system according to the present invention is specified by the following items (1) to (8).
(1) The management server of the display device network system including the first communication means, the second communication means, the operation program database, and the control means. (2) The first communication means is accessed via the Internet. (3) The second communication means can individually communicate with a plurality of display devices connected to the public wireless communication network. (4) The operation program database is a device communication. (5) The operation program includes display target information and display schedule information. (6) The control means includes an operation program update process, an operation program transmission, and the like. (7) The operation program update process communicates with the user computer that has accessed the first communication means, When the legitimate user identification information is received from the user computer, the contents of the operation program associated with the user identification information are transmitted to the user computer, and in response to a request from the user computer. Updating the contents of the operation program (8) When the operation program is updated, the operation program transmission process is performed by the second communication means based on the device communication identifier associated with the operation program. To communicate and send the operation program to the display device

In addition to the configurations of the specific items (1) to (8), the present invention preferably includes configurations according to the following items (a) to (c).
(A) It is provided with an unopened station list in which a plurality of sets of device communication identifiers and device identification encryption information are described. (B) The control means communicates with the display device in which the second communication means detects the incoming call, and the display device. (C) The control means communicates with the user computer that has accessed the first communication means, when the device communication identifier received from is present in the unopened station list, and returns to the display device. If the device identification encryption information A included in the newly registered message received from the device exists in the unopened station list, the device communication identifier associated with the device identification encryption information A in the unopened station list while communicating with the user computer The opening procedure for the display device B is performed, and an operation program associated with the device communication identifier B and the user identification information is created and stored in the operation program database. Be

=== Display Device 1, PHS Network 2, and Management Server 5 ===
FIG. 1 shows an outline of a display device network system according to the present invention. The display device 1 can be wirelessly connected to a PHS network 2 that is a public wireless communication network. As a communication backbone system for the display device network system, a communication control device 3 and a gateway device 4 provided by a PHS communication provider are connected to the PHS network 2, and a management server 5 and a gateway device 4 of the display device network system are connected. Are connected by a dedicated line or VPN.

  Each display device 1 is assigned a PSID which is an identifier of a PHS communication terminal. An operator of the display device network system (corresponding to the applicant) plans to manufacture and sell 100,000 display devices 1, and 100,000 PSIDs to be set to the 100,000 display devices 1 have already been allocated. It is assumed that The storage device of the communication control device 3 stores a list of the 100,000 PSIDs.

  The display device 1 is installed in a store by a user who purchases the display device 1 and is operated as an electronic signboard. In the installed state, the PHS communication module of the display device 1 can communicate with the base station of the PHS network 2.

  As will be described in detail later, as an initial process when the display device 1 is turned on, the display device 1 automatically transmits a call message for calling the management server 5 to the PHS network 2. This calling telegram includes the PSID of the display device 1 indicating the calling terminal and the communication identifier of the management server 5 indicating the communication partner.

  The communication control device 3 manages the message packet via the gateway device 4 when the message packet having the PSID existing in the 100,000 PSID lists stored in the setting flows to the PHS network 2. Transfer to server 5. When a telegram packet having the PSID existing in the 100,000 PSID list as the receiving terminal PSID is transferred from the management server 5 to the communication control device 3 via the gateway device 4, the communication control device 3 The telegram packet is transmitted to the PHS network 2, and the PHS communication module of the corresponding display device 1 receives the telegram packet.

  As described above, the display device 1 and the management server 5 communicate with each other by the automatic call when the power is turned on in the display device 1 via the PHS network 2, and the management server 5 selects an arbitrary display device 1 from among a plurality. It is possible to communicate with each display device 1 individually at any time by a designated call. As such a communication service, for example, a “My Access service” provided by CSC Corporation can be used.

=== Management Server 5, Internet 6, and User Computer ===
As shown in FIG. 1, the management server 5 is connected to the Internet 6 and can communicate with a user computer via the Internet 6. The user computer is an information terminal such as a personal computer or a mobile phone handled by a user who purchases the display device 1 and operates as an electronic signboard.

  The user operates the user computer to connect to the Internet, transmits the URL of the management server 5 to access the management server 5, receives user authentication using the user ID and password, and then manages the management server. The use of information resources provided by 5 is permitted. The information resources provided to the user include an individual information resource associated with the display device 1 owned by the user and a general information resource that can be commonly used by purchasers of the display devices 1.

  Further, as will be described in detail later, the management server 5 stores and manages each user's mail address, and performs an operation of transmitting an e-mail addressed to a required mail address to the Internet 6 in a predetermined process. The user receives and reads the e-mail by an information terminal such as a personal computer or a mobile phone.

=== Information Resource in Management Server 5 ===
The configuration of the hardware and basic software of the management server 5 is not different from that of a well-known and commonly used server computer that is operated in various ways on the Internet, and illustration of the hardware configuration is omitted because it has no special meaning. The storage device of the management server 5 stores information resources as illustrated in FIG. 2 and described below.

(A) Device list information According to the example described above, 100,000 PSIDs assigned to a total of 100,000 display devices 1 that have been manufactured and sold, and a unique device authentication number associated with each PSID. Is a list containing

(B) Station opening device list information The device communication identifier (such as PSID) of the display device 1 that has completed the opening procedure described later is associated with user list information (including at least a user ID, password, and mail address). Information aggregate. It is desirable to include various attribute information about users and stores such as address, company name, person in charge, telephone number, etc. in the user list information. It becomes useful as marketing information in combination with the operation history book.

(C) Operation program (corresponding to the above individual information resources)
The operation program for each display device 1 is stored in a database in association with the device communication identifier of the display device 1 that has undergone the opening procedure, and when and what information about each display device 1 It is a collection of detailed information that defines the operational entity such as in what form, in what order, how many times it is displayed. Logically, it includes at least a display target information section and a display schedule information section, and is divided into a plurality of files.
The basic schedule of the display schedule information is a one-week schedule, and the display contents are specifically set in a time frame for 24 hours for each day of the week (specifying display target information and display time series). Identify). It is also possible to set an interrupt schedule to be executed at a specific time zone during the day. It is also possible to set an interrupt schedule that is executed on a specific day of a year or month.
The display target information is an entity (display content) to be displayed specified by “information specifying the display target” described in the display schedule information, and is character string information, animation information, still image information, video Information etc. are included. In addition, information for controlling the display mode for each display target information (scroll speed, display brightness, display size, display position, display time, display composition method, and the like) is also included.

(D) Operation History Book The operation history book for each display device 1 is databased in association with the device communication identifier of the display device 1 that has completed the opening procedure, and is actually displayed for each individual display device 1. This is a history in which information specifying the content and the content attribute information are recorded together with date / time information and the number of times of actual display.

(E) Content database (corresponding to the above general information resource)
It is a database that aggregates various display contents that each user can incorporate and use in their operational programs. The database is structured with attributes classified from various viewpoints so that the user can easily find the display content that meets his / her desire.

=== Configuration of Display Device 1 ===
3 shows a front appearance of the display device 1 and FIG. 4 shows a rear appearance. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the electrical configuration of the display device 1. All elements of the display device 1 are mounted in a horizontally long flat rectangular device housing. Most of the front of the apparatus housing is a display screen 11 constituted by an LED dot matrix. An electric circuit device described below is built in a thick portion on the back side of the device housing.

  The display device 1 includes a PHS communication module 12. The PHS communication module 12 is housed in a small housing separate from the device housing of the display device 1, and as shown in FIG. 4, the PHS communication module 12 is housed in a recess in the upper right corner on the back of the device housing. However, the PHS communication module 12 is not fixed to this place but is attracted and positioned by a magnet, and the installation position can be changed by removing the PHS communication module 12 from this place. The PHS communication module 12 and the CPU board 13 in the apparatus housing are connected by a cable of about 1 meter. The installation position of the PHS communication module 12 is adjusted within the range of the length of this cable, and the base station of the PHS network 2 So that you can receive radio waves well.

  In this embodiment, an antenna is built in the housing of the PHS communication module 12, but it may be configured such that the position of the antenna can be adjusted by attaching it to the outside of the housing. In addition, the PHS communication module 12 may be built in the device housing of the main body, and only the antenna connected to the cable may be externally attached to the device housing so that the position of the antenna can be adjusted so that radio waves from the base station can be received well. .

  The CPU board 13 is a single board computer serving as the center of the display device 1, and a large-capacity flash memory 14 is externally attached. The video processing board 15 displays an image on the LED board 16 constituting the display screen 11 under the control of the CPU board 13. As will be described in detail later, the CPU board 13 transfers image data to be displayed to the video processing board 15 based on the schedule. This image data is stored in the video memory of the video processing board 15, read from the video memory by the processor of the video processing board 15, transferred to the LED board 16, and the light emission image by the LED dot matrix constituting the display screen 11. It becomes.

  Although omitted in FIG. 5, the power supply device is built in the device housing of the display device 1, and the power cable wired outside from the device housing is connected to an external commercial power outlet, so that the power supply device Commercial power is input. As shown in FIG. 4, a power switch 17 is provided on the side of the device housing, and the power of the display device 1 is turned on and off by manually operating the power switch 17.

  In the ROM in the PHS communication module 12, the PSID (corresponding to the device communication identifier) assigned to the module 12 is recorded and the equivalent to the server communication identifier assigned to the management server 5 is also recorded. ing. This PSID is also recorded in the ROM of the CPU board 13. The flash memory 14 connected to the CPU board 13 stores a group of files that constitute an operation program for the display device 1.

  In the ROM or the flash memory 14 of the CPU board 13, station opening process guide information and communication condition maintenance guide information are stored as display target information. The station opening process guide information may be deleted after the station has been opened and the user's operation program is stored in the display device 1 as will be described later. The flash memory 14 stores a flag for distinguishing between unopened / opened stations. This flag is set to an unopened station at the time of device shipment.

=== Operation of Display Device 1 ===
When the power cable of the display device 1 is connected to an outlet and the power switch 17 is turned on, the processor of the CPU board 13 operates according to the procedure schematically shown in the flowcharts of FIGS.

When the power is turned on, the processor checks a flag for distinguishing between unopened / opened stations. In this explanation procedure, it is assumed that the flag is not opened.
In the case of an unopened station, it communicates with the PHS communication module 12 to acquire reception intensity data of base station radio waves of the PHS network 2 and determines whether or not the reception intensity is equal to or higher than a reference level. At this time, the LED board 16 is controlled via the video processing board 15 so as to notify the user of the reception intensity and to display whether it is within or outside the service area. In the following description, the display control performed by the processor of the CPU board 13 is expressed as “display on the screen 11”.

If it is out of service area, a message explaining the working method is displayed on the screen so that the position of the PHS communication board 12 is adjusted based on the communication condition maintenance guide information stored in the ROM of the CPU board 13 or the flash memory 14. 11 is displayed.
If it is within the vicinity, as described in the beginning, a calling telegram for calling the management server 5 is transmitted to the PHS network 2. This calling message includes the PSID of its own display device 1 indicating the calling terminal and the communication identifier of the management server 5 indicating the communication partner.

  If for some reason the response from the management server 5 to the call cannot be confirmed, a message notifying the user of this is displayed on the screen 11 and the call is repeated according to a predetermined re-call procedure.

  When a communication link is established with the management server 5 responding to the call, communication with the management server 5 is started based on the station opening process guide information stored in the ROM of the CPU board 13 or the flash memory 14. A message that informs the user is displayed on the screen 11, and a message that guides how the purchaser of the display device 1 should proceed with the opening process is displayed on the screen 11.

  As described above, when the station is not opened, the display device 1 notifies the management server 5 that the station is not opened as a result. The processor of the CPU board 13 displays a guidance message on the screen 11 informing the user of how to proceed with the procedure to be performed next by the user based on the station opening process guidance information. The user accesses the management server 5 via the Internet 6 using a user computer (such as a personal computer or a mobile phone) according to the displayed guidance message.

=== Opening procedure by user computer ===
A user accesses the management server 5 on the Internet by a user computer and obtains a home page. There is an opening procedure request button on the cover page, and clicking this button takes you to a page with a mail address entry field and an execution button. If you enter the user's e-mail address and click the execute button, the message “Please wait, send me an e-mail” is displayed. Thereafter, a mail for opening procedure is transmitted from the management server 5, and the user receives it by the user computer. When a predetermined description is clicked in accordance with this mail guide, an opening procedure page is sent from the management server 5.

  In the opening procedure page, there are columns for entering various attribute information related to the user and the store such as address, company name, person in charge, telephone number, etc. in addition to the column for entering the device authentication number, user ID, and password. These items are entered and transmitted to the management server 5.

  The device authentication number is a unique number assigned to the purchased display device 1 and is a number written in a warranty card enclosed with the display device. The correspondence relationship between the device authentication number and the PSID (device communication identifier) assigned to the display device 1 is known by the manufacturer that shipped the product, and the correspondence information is stored in the storage device of the management server 5. Is recorded as “device list information” described above.

  When the management server 5 receives the information entered in the opening procedure page from the user computer, the management server 5 confirms that the received device authentication number exists in the “device list information”, and corresponds to this device authentication number. For the attached PSID display device 1, a new record in which the user ID / password and other user attribute information are associated is entered in the “opening device list information” described above. This completes the basic opening procedure, and this is notified to the user computer.

=== Creation / change of operation program by user computer ===
When the user of the opened display device 1 accesses the management server 5 by the user computer and authenticates with the user ID and the password, as described above, the general information resource (content database) and the display device 1 are exclusively used. Access to individual information resources (operation programs) is permitted. The flow of communication processing after this login is organized in the flowchart of FIG.

  For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3957843, the operation program stored in the management server 5 is displayed on the monitor screen of the user computer in the form of a schedule table for one week, and the required time in the schedule table. By filling in or rewriting the contents of the frame, the contents of the operation program can be arbitrarily edited. For users who have just opened, the content database has several templates for operation programs (which can be viewed by users in the form of schedules) for various industries. You can read the description of the shape, select the one you like, and edit your operational program in a way that rewrites part of the schedule.

  The user does not need to complete the operation program editing work at one login opportunity to the management server 5, but can simply log in several times to complete the favorite operation program. If the operation program is sufficient, an update command is given from the user computer to the management server 5, and the operation program editing process is terminated.

  The management server 5 that has received the update command calls the corresponding display device 1 from the PHS network 2 based on the PSID associated with the user ID and the password. When there is a response from the display device 1 to the call, the operation program update process is started. If the communication link with the display device 1 cannot be established, the call is repeated in accordance with a predetermined re-call procedure, and if that is not possible, an e-mail is created to inform the user of the call, and the user ID and password are used. Send to the associated email address.

  As described above, in the operation program update process, first, the file identification list of the operation program (file set) held by the display device 1 is transferred to the management server 5. The management server 5 compares the received file identification list with that of the operation program of the display device 1 stored in the database, and transmits a new file related to the update to the display device 1. The display device 1 receives the new file, updates the operation program of the flash memory 14, and notifies the management server 5 that the update is completed.

  When the management server 5 receives the update end notification, it creates an e-mail notifying the user of the update and sends it to the e-mail address. If the update end notification is not received, the operation program update is completed normally. Notify users by e-mail that they have not done so.

  When the processor of the CPU board 14 in the display device 1 performs the operation program update process, if the flag is not yet opened, the processor switches to open. As a result, the display device 1 is actually opened.

=== Display device 1 already opened ===
When power is turned on to the display device 1 whose flag has been opened, the processor of the CPU board 13 proceeds from the first step of FIG. 6 to the routine of FIG. 7, and communicates with the PHS communication module 12 to communicate with the PHS network. The reception intensity data of the base station radio wave 2 is acquired, it is determined whether or not the reception intensity is equal to or higher than a reference level, and the display means notifies the user of the reception intensity and informs the user whether the area is out of range or not.

  If it is within the range, the PHS module 13 communicates with the management server 5 to notify the management server 5 of the start of the operation of the device together with the PSID of the display device 1, and skips this notification processing when out of the service area. In any case, it is next checked whether or not a valid operation program is stored in the flash memory 14. In a normal usage situation, the operation program is stored in the opened display device 1. In this case, the processor of the CPU board 13 is in a normal operation mode that operates based on the operation program of the flash memory 14.

  That is, based on the display schedule information in the operation program, the display target information (display content) in the operation program is sequentially read from the flash memory 14 and displayed on the screen 11. Of course, nothing is displayed during the time period set as display pause in the display schedule information. If the display pause time is long, the sleep mode (standby in the power saving mode) may be set.

The operation program held by the display device 1 is an operation program downloaded to the display device 1 from the operation program database of the management server 5 when the display device 1 has been opened and is already in operation. This operation program is an operation program edited by the user himself / herself by accessing the management server 5 via the Internet 6 using a user computer (such as a personal computer or a mobile phone).
However, there may be a case where an effective operation program does not exist in the opened display device 1 for some reason. In that case, display a message telling the user about that. If the management server 5 is accessed while determining that it is within the service area, but a communication link with the management server 5 cannot be established, this is displayed, and then normal operation processing is executed.

=== Other Embodiments ===
(A) In the above embodiments, only the video output function has been described. This is intended to promote understanding of the basic functions of the system. As seen in many electronic signs, an audio output function is provided together with the video output function. It is desirable. Of course, the system developed by the applicant is also like that. The display device 1 includes an audio output device, and the operation program includes audio content. Various audio contents are also prepared in the content database, and can be edited by adding an audio output schedule to the video display schedule.

(B) At the opportunity to communicate with each display device 1, the management server 5 collects update information of each operation history book from the display device 1 and updates the operation history book database of the management server 5. At any time, it can be used for various types of marketing, such as analyzing the contents of the operation history book and summing up the number of times the content is used by industry category or region category. The analysis result can be reflected, for example, in selection of recommended content in the content database.

(C) The device communication identifier, the server communication identifier, etc. are not limited to the PSID of the embodiment, but may be indirect identification information as long as the logical processing described in the embodiment can be performed. Of course, it doesn't matter.

It is a schematic block diagram of the display apparatus network system by one Example. It is a conceptual diagram of the information resource in the management server by one Example. It is a front side perspective view of the display apparatus by one Example. It is a back side perspective view of the display apparatus by one Example. It is the schematic of the electrical constitution of the display apparatus by one Example. It is the flowchart 1 which shows the operation | movement procedure of the display apparatus by one Example. It is the flowchart 2 which shows the operation | movement procedure of the display apparatus by one Example. It is a communication flowchart accompanying the operation program change in one Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display apparatus 2 PHS network 3 Communication control apparatus 4 Gateway apparatus 5 Management server 6 Internet 11 Display screen 12 PHS communication module 13 CPU board 14 Flash memory 15 Video processing board 16 LED board 17 Power switch

Claims (2)

A display server network system management server comprising a first communication means, a second communication means, an operation program database, and a control means,
The first communication means can communicate with a user computer accessed via the Internet,
The second communication means can individually communicate with a plurality of display devices connected to the public wireless communication network,
The operation program database stores operation programs associated with device communication identifiers and user identification information,
The operation program includes display target information and display schedule information.
The control means performs operation program update processing and operation program transmission processing,
The operation program update process communicates with the user computer that has accessed the first communication means, and when valid user identification information is received from the user computer, the contents of the operation program associated with the user identification information To the user computer and update the contents of the operation program in response to a request from the user computer.
When the operation program is updated, the operation program transmission process calls and communicates with the corresponding display device from the second communication means based on the device communication identifier associated with the operation program. The display server network system management server. Provided with an unopened station list describing a plurality of sets of device communication identifiers and device identification encryption information,
The control means communicates with the display device in which the second communication means has detected the incoming call, and when the device communication identifier received from the display device is present in the unopened station list, returns a station opening reception message to the display device,
The control means communicates with the user computer that has accessed the first communication means, and when the device identification encryption information A included in the newly registered message received from the user computer exists in the unopened station list, the control means An operation program associated with the device communication identifier B and the user identification information is performed while performing communication processing for the display device of the device communication identifier B associated with the device identification encryption information A in the unopened station list while communicating. The management server of the display apparatus network system according to claim 1, which is created and stored in an operation program database.

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