JP4047527B2 - Information distribution system and information distribution method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information distribution system and an information distribution method, and particularly suitable information when a dial-up router automatically acquires distribution information placed on an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server in an environment where the Internet can be used. The present invention relates to a distribution system and an information distribution method.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, on the Internet, there are information distribution services for distributing electronic mail and various information providing services using home pages. For example, a technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-88408 has been proposed as a conventional example related to electronic mail distribution. In this publication, a proxy server device that makes an IP connection with a home PC from the Internet side when an e-mail is delivered to an e-mail user who makes a dial-up connection from a home PC that is not always connected to the Internet, An electronic mail system having means for automatically connecting mail to a home PC is disclosed.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above conventional example, as described above, there is an electronic mail information distribution service on the Internet. However, there are the following problems.
[0004]
First, when emails are distributed irregularly, the service user confirms whether or not a new email is being delivered by a personal computer owned by the user (hereinafter abbreviated as a personal computer). ) Activation and line connection.
[0005]
Second, the service provider needs to manage individual mail account information for each service user.
[0006]
In addition, as described above, there are various information providing services using homepages on the Internet, but there are the following problems.
[0007]
First, if the website is updated irregularly, the user of the service needs to start up the personal computer owned by the user and connect the line to check whether the website has been updated. is there.
[0008]
Second, the service provider needs to manage individual user ID and password information for each service user.
[0009]
Third, if you use homepage patrol software, you can automatically check homepage updates from a personal computer, but it is necessary to keep your personal computer running when using it.
[0010]
An object of the present invention is to enable a recipient to easily check whether or not a delivery information has been newly acquired from the Internet without starting a terminal, and the provider of the delivery information is individually provided for each recipient. It is an object to provide an information distribution system and an information distribution method capable of managing the information.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, in a router for connecting a computer to the Internet, first storage means storing an ID and password for logging in to an FTP server, and reading the ID and password from the storage means, Login means for logging in to the FTP server using the ID and the password, list information acquisition means for acquiring list information of files stored in the FTP server from the FTP server, and acquisition of the list information Detecting means for detecting a file newly stored in the FTP server by comparing the new list information newly acquired by the means and the old list information previously acquired by the list information acquiring means; and the detecting means Only the files detected as new files by the FTP server are received from the FTP server. Receiving means, second storage means for storing the file received by the receiving means, and display means for displaying that the file detected by the detecting means as a new file has been received from the FTP server; , a Lulu over data wherein the detection unit, when older than the date of the same file that is included in the date the new list information file included in the old list information, the file to the FTP server Is newly stored, and when a file not included in the old list information is included in the new list display, it is determined that the file is newly stored in the FTP server. A router is provided.
[0012]
The router may further include transmission means for transmitting the file stored in the second storage means to the computer in accordance with a request from the computer .
[0013]
In the above-mentioned router, a third storage unit that stores information about a time at which the login unit should log in to the FTP server, a clock unit that outputs a current time, and a current time are stored in the third storage unit An activation unit that activates the login unit when the time becomes equal may be further included .
[0014]
The router may further include a switch operated by a user and an activation unit that activates the login unit when the switch is operated by the user .
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[First Embodiment]
Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0016]
(1) Description of Configuration As shown in FIG. 1, the dial-up router 8 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a display unit 1, a display circuit 2, a storage unit 3, a computer circuit 4, a clock circuit 5, and an interface with a line. Part 6 and an interface part 7 with a personal computer. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the Internet use environment of the first embodiment of the present invention includes a personal computer 9, a dial-up router 8, a network termination device 14, an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) line 10, a network termination device 15, a router. 16, an FTP server 11, and a terminal 17.
[0017]
To describe the above configuration in detail, in FIG. 1, the display unit 1 is composed of, for example, a light emitting diode or a liquid crystal display, and performs display for notifying the recipient of whether or not the distribution information has been acquired. The display circuit 2 receives a display instruction from the computer circuit 4 and controls the display unit 1 according to the instruction. The clock circuit 5 holds the value of the current time and supplies them to the computer circuit 4. The computer circuit 4 instructs transmission / reception of information related to automatic information acquisition.
[0018]
The storage unit 3 includes a program and information necessary for automatic information acquisition (connection destination telephone number, connection destination user ID and password, name of the FTP server 11, port number connected to the FTP server 11, connection to the FTP server 11) A user ID and password, a distribution information file name to be acquired, and a time at which automatic information acquisition is performed) are stored, and the stored contents are given to the computer circuit 4. Among these pieces of information, the name of the FTP server 11, the port number connected to the FTP server 11, the user ID and password for connecting to the FTP server 11, and the distribution information file name to be acquired are stored at the time of manufacture.
[0019]
The line interface unit 6 transmits and receives packets to and from the dial-up line, and receives distribution information from the FTP server 11 via the ISDN line 10. The interface unit 7 with the personal computer gives the information transmitted from the personal computer 9 to the dial-up router 8 to the computer circuit 4, and transmits the information to the personal computer 9 in accordance with an instruction from the computer circuit 4.
[0020]
In FIG. 2, the personal computer 9 is used for setting information necessary for the recipient to automatically acquire information from the dial-up router 8 and confirming the contents of the distribution information acquired by the automatic information acquisition. The FTP server 11 stores the distribution information file transmitted from the terminal 17. The distribution information file includes a header and a body. The header is composed of the date and time when the distribution is performed, an outline of a text to be described later, and the like. The text is the main body of distribution information. If there is a transmission request from the dial-up router 8, the FTP server 11 transmits a distribution information file.
[0021]
The network termination device 14 converts the signal format of a packet transmitted / received between the dial-up router 8 and the ISDN line 10 into a signal format suitable for both. The network termination device 15 converts the signal format of a packet transmitted and received between the router 16 and the ISDN line 10 into a signal format suitable for both. The ISDN line 10 serves as a path through which packets flow from the dial-up router 8 to the router 16 or from the router 16 to the dial-up router 8.
[0022]
The router 16 is connected to the dial-up router 8 via the ISDN line 10 and the network terminators 14 and 15. Further, the router 16 receives the packet addressed to the FTP server 11 transmitted from the dial-up router 8 via the network terminating device 15 and transmits the received packet to the route to the FTP server 11. Further, the router 16 receives the packet addressed to the dial-up router 8 transmitted from the FTP server 11, and transmits the received packet to the ISDN line 10 that is a route to the dial-up router 8 via the network terminating device 15. To do. The terminal 17 is used by a provider of distribution information to transmit a distribution information file to the FTP server 11.
[0023]
In the above usage environment, the provider of distribution information transmits a distribution information file from the terminal 17 to the FTP server 11.
[0024]
Further, the recipient receives the telephone number of the connection destination, the user ID and password of the connection destination, and the time for automatic information acquisition from the personal computer 9 to the dial-up router 8. For example, the time at which automatic information acquisition is performed is specified in one of formats such as 20:00 on Wednesday, 21:00 every day, and every 12 hours. The computer circuit 4 receives the time at which automatic information acquisition is performed via the interface unit 7 with the personal computer.
[0025]
The storage unit 3 uses the name of the FTP server 11, the user ID and password for connecting to the FTP server 11, and the distribution information file name to be acquired among the information necessary for automatic information acquisition when the dial-up router 8 is manufactured. I remember it. The same information is stored in the storage unit 3 of any dial-up router 8 regardless of the individual dial-up router 8. In addition, the storage unit 3 also stores the telephone number of the connection destination transmitted from the personal computer 9, the user ID and password of the connection destination, and the time at which automatic information acquisition is performed, and gives the stored information to the computer circuit 4.
[0026]
When the time at which the automatic information acquisition recorded in the storage unit 3 coincides with the current time held by the clock circuit 5, the computer circuit 4 calls the telephone number of the connection destination via the line interface unit 6. multiply. Subsequently, the computer circuit 4 transmits the user ID and password with the connection destination to the router 16 via the interface unit 6 with the line. The router 16 confirms the received user ID and password and connects the line. The computer circuit 4 transmits a user ID and a password for connecting to the FTP server 11 to the FTP server 11 through the interface unit 6 with the line in order to request connection to the FTP server 11. The FTP server 11 confirms the received user ID and password, and the dial-up router 8 and the FTP server 11 start communication.
[0027]
The computer circuit 4 requests the FTP server 11 to transmit a distribution information file. The FTP server 11 transmits the requested distribution information file. Further, the computer circuit 4 disconnects the line via the interface unit 6 with the line. Further, the computer circuit 4 changes the display of the display unit 1 via the display circuit 2. By changing the display on the display unit 1 from the one that has not acquired the distribution information to the one that has acquired the distribution information, or updated from the display of the distribution information obtained by the previous automatic information acquisition, the recipient is new Know that distribution information has been acquired.
[0028]
When the recipient receives a packet for requesting transmission of the acquired distribution information file from the personal computer 9 to the dial-up router 8, the computer circuit 4 transmits the acquired distribution information file stored in the storage unit 3 to the personal computer. The person to be delivered can check the contents of the delivery information file obtained from the personal computer.
[0029]
(2) Description of Operation Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
[0030]
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the storage unit 3 includes the name of the FTP server 11, the port number connected to the FTP server 11, and the user ID and password for connecting to the FTP server 11. Is remembered at the time of manufacture. The information stored at the time of manufacture is the same for all dial-up routers 8 regardless of the individual dial-up router 8.
[0031]
In addition, the person to be delivered sets the telephone number of the connection destination, the user ID and password of the connection destination, and the time for automatic information acquisition to the dial-up router 8 in advance. When information necessary for automatic information acquisition from the personal computer 9 is transmitted to the dial-up router 8, the computer circuit 4 receives the information via the interface unit 7 with the personal computer and stores the received information in the storage unit 3. The computer circuit 4 compares the stored automatic information acquisition time with the current time of the clock circuit 5, and performs automatic information acquisition if they match.
[0032]
Hereinafter, the detailed operation of the first embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0033]
The terminal 17 starts an FTP communication procedure and transmits a packet requesting connection to the FTP server 11. When the FTP server 11 receives the connection request packet, the FTP server 11 transmits a packet requesting the user ID and password to the terminal 17. When the terminal 17 receives the request packet, the terminal 17 transmits a user ID and password packet.
[0034]
When the FTP server 11 receives the user ID and password packet, the FTP server 11 verifies the user ID and password stored in the FTP server 11 and performs authentication. When the authentication is established, the FTP server 11 transmits a packet notifying the terminal 17 that the authentication is established. The terminal 17 receives the above notification packet via the interface unit 6 with the line. The terminal 17 transmits the packet of the distribution information file to the FTP server 11. The FTP server 11 stores the received packet as a distribution information file (step A1).
[0035]
The computer circuit 4 makes a call to a connection destination where the FTP server 11 exists, and transmits a packet requesting connection to the router 16 via the interface unit 6 with the line. Upon receiving the connection request packet, the router 16 transmits a packet requesting the user ID and password to the dial-up router 8. When the computer circuit 4 receives the above-described request packet via the line interface unit 6, the computer circuit 4 transmits a user ID and password packet for connection to the router 16 via the line interface unit 6.
[0036]
When the router 16 receives the packet of the user ID and password, the router 16 verifies the user ID and password stored in the router 16 and performs authentication. When the authentication is established, the router 16 transmits a packet notifying that the authentication is established to the dial-up router 8, and the dial-up router 8 and the router 16 start communication.
[0037]
When the computer circuit 4 receives the notification packet described above via the interface unit 6 with the line, the computer circuit 4 starts an FTP communication procedure, and sends a packet requesting connection to the FTP server 11 via the interface unit 6 with the line. Send. The FTP port number used at this time is the one stored in the storage unit 3 in advance. When the FTP server 11 receives the connection request packet, the FTP server 11 transmits a packet requesting the user ID and password to the dial-up router 8. When the computer circuit 4 receives the above-described request packet via the line interface unit 6, it transmits a user ID and password packet via the line interface unit 6. As for the user ID and password, the same information is stored in the storage unit 3 in all the dial-up routers 8 as described above.
[0038]
The FTP server 11 also stores the user ID and password stored in the storage unit 3. When receiving the user ID and password packet, the FTP server 11 compares the stored user ID and password with each other and performs authentication. When the authentication is established, the FTP server 11 transmits a packet notifying the dial-up router 8 that the authentication is established. The computer circuit 4 receives the notification packet described above via the interface unit 6 with the line (step A2).
[0039]
The computer circuit 4 transmits a packet for requesting file list information of the FTP server 11 to the FTP server 11 via the interface unit 6 with the line. Upon receiving the packet, the FTP server 11 transmits a file list information packet to the dial-up router 8. The computer circuit 4 receives the above-described file list information packet via the interface unit 6 with the line.
[0040]
When the date of the distribution information file stored at the time of the previous automatic information acquisition stored in the storage unit 3 is equal to the distribution information file existing in the FTP server 11, the computer circuit 4 does not need to perform automatic information acquisition. Judge. The computer circuit 4 proceeds to execution of step A6.
[0041]
When the date of the distribution information file stored at the time of the previous automatic information acquisition stored in the storage unit 3 is older than that of the FTP server 11 or when the distribution information file does not exist in the storage unit 3, the computer circuit 4 It is determined that it is necessary to acquire automatic information, and the process proceeds to Step A4 described later (Step A3).
[0042]
The computer circuit 4 transmits a packet requesting transmission of the distribution information file to the FTP server 11 via the interface unit 6 with the line. When the FTP server 11 receives the above-described packet, the FTP server 11 transmits the packet of the distribution information file to the dial-up router 8. The computer circuit 4 receives the packet of the distribution information file via the interface unit 6 with the line and stores it in the storage unit 3 (step A4).
[0043]
The computer circuit 4 changes the display on the display unit 1 through the display circuit 2 to a state where automatic information acquisition has been newly performed. As a result, the recipient is notified that new automatic information acquisition has been performed. When the display unit 1 is a liquid crystal display or the like capable of displaying text, the header of the distribution information file is displayed. The header is composed of the date and time when the distribution is performed, an overview of the distributed information, and the like. In this case, the recipient can check the information described in the header by looking at the display unit 1 (step A5). The computer circuit 4 transmits a packet for notifying the end of FTP and disconnection of the line through the interface unit 6 with the line and disconnects the line (step A6).
[0044]
The subsequent processing is changed when the computer circuit 4 does not acquire automatic information and when it automatically acquires new information. If automatic information acquisition has not been performed, the display unit 1 display is not changed in step A5, so that the recipient knows that automatic information acquisition has not been performed, and the automatic information acquisition process ends. When automatic information acquisition is performed, the process proceeds to step A8 described later (step A7).
[0045]
When new automatic information acquisition is performed, the person to be delivered knows that automatic information acquisition has been performed by changing the display on the display unit 1 in step A5. When the display unit 1 is a liquid crystal display or the like capable of displaying text, the header of the distribution information file is displayed, so that the recipient can know the outline of the acquired distribution information file. The person to be distributed activates the personal computer 9 and transmits a packet requesting transmission of the distribution information file newly acquired from the WWW browser to the dial-up router 8 (step A8).
[0046]
The computer circuit 4 receives the above-described request packet via the interface unit 7 with the personal computer. The computer circuit 4 transmits the distribution information file stored in the storage unit 3 to the personal computer 9 via the interface unit 7 with the personal computer (step A9). The computer circuit 4 changes the display unit 1 to a display in which automatic information acquisition is not performed via the display circuit 2 (step A10), and ends the automatic information acquisition process.
[0047]
The recipient uses an application such as a WWW browser on the personal computer 9 to confirm the contents of the distribution information file received by the personal computer 9 in step A8.
[0048]
As described above, according to the dial-up router with an automatic information acquisition function and the information distribution method using FTP according to the first embodiment of the present invention, distribution information placed on the FTP server 11 in an environment where the Internet can be used. The dial-up router 8 can acquire automatically. That is, the dial-up router 8 automatically connects to the FTP server 11 and obtains a distribution information file placed on the FTP server 11 by the distribution information provider. The recipient can check on the display unit 1 in FIG. 1 whether or not a new distribution information file has been obtained by automatic information acquisition by the dial-up router 8. Further, the recipient can confirm the contents of the distribution information file on the display of the personal computer 9 in FIG.
[0049]
[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0050]
(1) Description of Configuration As shown in FIG. 4, the dial-up router 8 of the second embodiment of the present invention includes a display unit 1, a display circuit 2, a storage unit 3, a computer circuit 4, a line interface unit 6, and a personal computer. Interface section 7 and switch 13. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the Internet use environment of the second embodiment of the present invention includes a personal computer 9, a dial-up router 8, a network terminator 14, an analog line 12, a network terminator 15, a router 16, an FTP server 11, The terminal 17 is configured.
[0051]
In the second embodiment, the dial-up router 8 is equipped with a switch 13 instead of the timepiece circuit 5 of FIG. 1 shown in the first embodiment. The configuration other than the switch 13 in the second embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted. In the first embodiment, the computer circuit 4 compares the stored automatic information acquisition time with the current time of the clock circuit 5 and performs automatic information acquisition when the two coincide with each other. In the embodiment, automatic information acquisition is performed at the time when the person to be delivered presses the switch. Thereby, the recipient can use automatic information acquisition with a simple operation when he / she wants to confirm new delivery information regardless of the set time.
[0052]
(2) Description of Operation Next, the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
[0053]
First, a second example will be described with reference to FIG.
[0054]
In the second embodiment, the dial-up router 8 is connected to the FTP server 11 using an analog line 12 instead of the ISDN line 10 of FIG. 2 of the first embodiment. The analog line 12 serves as a path for flowing packets from the dial-up router 8 to the router 16 or from the router 16 to the dial-up router 8.
[0055]
Next, a third example will be described with reference to FIG.
[0056]
In the second embodiment, a recipient of a service does not specify a time for performing automatic information acquisition. Automatic information acquisition is performed when the line is connected by some other communication. In FIG. 3 of the first embodiment, the line is disconnected in step A5, but in the second embodiment, the line is not disconnected (step B6). Processing other than step B6 is the same as that in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.
[0057]
In FIG. 3 of the first embodiment, the recipient needs to pay a line connection fee by automatic information acquisition, but in the second embodiment, a line connection fee by automatic information acquisition does not occur.
[0058]
As described above, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, as in the first embodiment, it is easy for the person to be distributed to acquire distribution information from the Internet without starting up a personal computer. The provider of distribution information can manage individual information for each recipient.
[0059]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
[0060]
The first effect is that the recipient can confirm that the automatic acquisition of the delivery information file has been performed without activating the recipient device (personal computer). In other words, the recipient can confirm whether or not the delivery information has been newly acquired by looking at the display of the delivery information acquisition device without starting the time-consuming delivery target device (personal computer). .
[0061]
The second effect is that the same information is stored in the storage means of all the distribution information acquisition devices for the user ID and password for connecting to the distribution information management device stored in advance in the storage means of the distribution information acquisition device. Therefore, the provider of distribution information need only manage one set of user ID and password regardless of the number of recipients. Therefore, the provider of distribution information does not need to manage individual information for each recipient.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a dial-up router according to a first embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an Internet usage environment according to the first embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a dial-up router according to a second embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an Internet usage environment according to the second embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display part 3 Memory | storage part 4 Computer circuit 5 Clock circuit 8 Dial-up router 9 Personal computer 10 ISDN line 11 FTP server 12 Analog line 13 Switch 17 Terminal

Claims (4)

In a router for connecting a computer to the Internet,
First storage means for storing an ID and a password for logging in to the FTP server;
A log-in means for reading out the ID and the password from the storage means and logging in to the FTP server using the ID and the password;
List information acquisition means for acquiring list information of files stored in the FTP server from the FTP server;
Detecting means for detecting a file newly stored in the FTP server by comparing the new list information newly acquired by the list information acquiring means and the old list information acquired by the list information acquiring means last time; ,
Receiving means for receiving only the files detected by the detecting means as new files from the FTP server;
Second storage means for storing the file received by the receiving means;
Display means for displaying that the file detected by the detection means as a new file has been received from the FTP server;
A Lulu chromatography data with a,
If the date of the file included in the old list information is older than the date of the same file included in the new list information, the detecting means determines that the file is newly stored in the FTP server, and A router characterized in that, when a file not included in old list information is included in a new list display, it is determined that the file is newly stored in the FTP server . The router of claim 1,
The router further comprising a transmission means for transmitting the file stored in the second storage means to the computer in accordance with a request from the computer. The router of claim 1,
Third storage means for storing information relating to a time at which the login means should log in to the FTP server;
Clock means for outputting the current time;
Activating means for activating the login means when the current time is equal to the time stored in the third storage means;
A router further comprising: The router of claim 1,
A switch operated by a user;
An activation means for activating the login means when the switch is operated by the user;
A router further comprising:

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