KR20030030353A - Automatic network access service system and method in hotel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An automatic network access service system and method for a hotel are provided to allow a user to access a network through a server to transmit and receive information even without changing a network environment of a terminal by simply connecting a communication line of a room to the terminal. CONSTITUTION: A network terminal(1) includes a network card with a special MAC(Media Access Control) address and a Web browser. A wired phone set(2) is a general phone set installed in a hotel room. A desktop computer(3) provides a name of a user and room number inputted when the user checks in to a server(200) through an local interface(100). The local interface(100) interfaces communication among the network terminal(1), the desktop computer(30) and the server(200) through a local network in the hotel. The server(200) is connected to a first hub(140) of the local interface and a broadband interface(300), processes a transmission packet provided from the network terminal(1) through the first hub(140) to transmit it to an external server(6) through the broadband interface(300), and transmits and receives personal information of the user and service use particulars to and from the desktop computer(3). The broadband interface(300) interfaces communications between the server(200) and the external server(6) and between the server(200) and a charge managing computer(400). The charge managing computer(400) stores the service use particulars provided from the server(200) through the broadband interface(300) and transmits it to the server(200) upon receipt of its request.

Description

AUTOMATIC NETWORK ACCESS SERVICE SYSTEM AND METHOD IN HOTEL}

The present invention relates to data communication systems and methods, and more particularly, to a service system and method for automatically connecting a network terminal of a user connecting to a server through a local area network in a hotel to a wide area network.

In general, a network terminal connecting to a wide area network through a server includes a network card and a web browser having a unique media access control (MAC) address, and the server is configured as a gateway in a network environment. The virtual IP (Internet Protocol) address (or sub IP address) allocated from the server is set. By connecting such a network terminal to the server, a user can send and receive documents with another user's terminal regardless of place and time, and can access various web sites and collect various information. Due to such convenience, office workers carry a network terminal such as a laptop computer even when traveling (or traveling) to maximize work efficiency and minimize work space.

Accordingly, in hotels where people on a business trip or travel have stayed, a network connection system for connecting a user's network terminal to a wide area network is provided, and a network connection service is provided to the user.

The network access service system of a hotel according to the prior art stores a fixed IP address and a plurality of virtual IP addresses to be assigned to a user's network terminal, and includes a server connected to a local network and a wide area network established in the hotel. .

Here, the server transmits the packet provided from the network terminal connected to the local area network to the wide area network. In addition, when a packet is received from an external server through the wide area network, the packet is transmitted to a network terminal having a fixed IP address that is the same as a destination address of the received packet.

However, in order to use the hotel network access service system and method of the related art as described above, a user sets a server of a hotel as a gateway in a network environment of a terminal, and any one of a plurality of virtual IP addresses assigned to the server. Must be set to a fixed IP address. Therefore, according to the conventional network access service system and method of the hotel, the user has to change the network environment of the terminal according to the server, there is a problem that is very inconvenient to use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic network access service system and method of a hotel that can effectively solve the problems of the prior art as described above.

In order to more fully understand the drawings used in the detailed description of the invention, a brief description of each drawing is provided.

1 is a block diagram showing an automatic network access service system of a hotel according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the server shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating data and a format stored in a database of FIG. 2.

4 is a diagram showing the structure of a transmission packet transmitted from a server of the present invention to an external server via a wide area network.

5A and 5B are flowcharts illustrating an automatic network access service method of a hotel using the system of FIG.

6 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for providing an automatic network access service according to the present invention using the system of FIG.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: local interface 200: server

300: wide area interface 400: computer for charge management

One aspect of the present invention for achieving the above technical problem relates to a network connection service system of a hotel for connecting a terminal having a unique network address for a web browser and a network connection to the network. An automatic network access system for a hotel according to the present invention comprises: first interfacing means connected with a terminal; Second interfacing means coupled to a wide area network for interfacing communications over the wide area network; And a server connected to the first interfacing means and the second interfacing means. The server receives the unique network address from a terminal connected to the first interfacing means, allocates a virtual network address to the terminal, and matches the unique network address to store the unique network address. And when the packet having a unique network address written as a source address is input from the terminal, the server combines the matched virtual network address with the packet and masks the unique network address, thereby converting the packet into the second interfacing means. To send. In addition, when a packet in which a virtual network address is recorded as a destination address is received, the server transmits the received packet to a terminal having a unique network address matched with the virtual network address.

Another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above technical problem is to use a server having a fixed network connection address and a plurality of virtual network address, a service for connecting a terminal having a unique network address for a web browser and network access to the network It is about a method. The automatic network access service method of the hotel according to the present invention comprises the steps of: A) receiving a unique network address of the terminal from the terminal connected to the server; B) assigning any one of the plurality of virtual network addresses to a terminal having the received unique network address, and storing the unique network address in a database so as to match the allocated virtual network address; C) combining the allocated virtual network address with the transmission packet when a transmission packet in which the unique network address is written as a source address is input from the terminal; Masking a unique network address recorded in the transmission packet such that the virtual network address coupled to the transmission packet is recognized as a source address of the transmission packet; E) transmitting a transmission packet masked with the unique network address to the network; And a F that searches for the database and delivers the response packet to a terminal having a unique network address matched with the virtual network address when the response packet recorded with the virtual network address as a destination address is input through the network. Step).

The objects, features and advantages of the present invention described above will be more clearly understood through the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Then, with reference to the accompanying Figures 1 to 6 will be described in detail with respect to the automatic network access service system and method of a hotel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram showing an automatic network access service system of a hotel according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the automatic network access service system of a hotel according to the present invention includes a local interface 100 in a hotel to which a user's network terminal 1, a landline telephone 2 and a desk computer 3 are connected, and a server. 200, a wide area interface 300, and a fee management terminal 400.

The network terminal 1 incorporates a network card and a web browser having a unique MAC (Media Access Control) address, and information on a fixed IP address and a gateway is set in a network environment. Here, the MAC address and the fixed IP address are network addresses that the network terminal 1 has in order to access a predetermined network. When the network card is connected to a communication line installed in a hotel room, the network terminal 1 is connected to the server 200 through the local interface 100. At this time, the network terminal 1 transmits an address resolution protocol (hereinafter referred to as "ARP") request signal for the gateway through the local interface 100. When the server 200 responds to the ARP request, the network terminal 1 provides the MAC address and the fixed IP address to the server 200 through the local interface 100. In addition, through the local interface 100, the network terminal 1 transmits data (hereinafter, referred to as "send packet") whose MAC address and fixed IP address are recorded as a source address to the server 200. The server 200 receives the data (hereinafter, referred to as a "response packet") recorded with the MAC address as a destination address. A notebook computer or the like may be used as the network terminal 1.

Since the landline phone 2 is a general phone installed in a hotel, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The desk computer 3 provides the server 200 with the user's name and room number, which are input at check-in, through the local interface 100. In addition, the desk computer 3 receives and outputs the user's network connection service usage history from the server 200 through the local interface 100 at check-out.

The local interface 100 interfaces the communication between the network terminal 1 and the desk computer 3 and the server 200 via a local network in the hotel. The local interface 100 includes a plurality of connectors 110 to which the network terminal 1 and / or a wired telephone 2 are connected, a plurality of telephone terminals 120 to which the respective connectors 110 are connected, and switching. The box 130 and the first hub 140 are provided.

The switching box 130 is connected to a plurality of telephone terminals 120, the first hub 140 and the external telephone exchange system 4, the communication and wired between the network terminal 1 and the first hub 140 The communication between the telephone 2 and the telephone exchange system 4 is switched.

The first hub 140 is connected to the server 200, the ARP request signal, MAC address, fixed IP address and transmission packet of the network terminal 1 provided from the network terminal 1 via the switching box 130 Etc. are transmitted to the server 200, and a response packet or the like provided from the server 200 is transmitted to the network terminal 1. In addition, the first hub 140 is connected to the desk computer 3, transmits the user's personal information provided from the desk computer 3 to the server 200, the user provided from the server 200 Transfer the service usage history of the service to the desk computer (3).

The server 200 is connected to the first hub 140 and the wide area interface 300 of the local interface, and processes the transmission packet provided from the network terminal 1 through the first hub 140 and then the wide area interface. The server 300 transmits the data to the external server 6 through 300, and transmits / receives the user's personal information, service usage history, etc. with the desk computer 3. In addition, the server 200 provides the response packet to the first hub 140 so that the response packet received through the wide area interface 300 is transmitted to its destination, that is, the network terminal 1. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the server 200 includes a network card 210, a database 220, an address management module 230, a user authentication module 240, a packet control module 250, and user information. A management module 260 and a charge management module 270.

The network card 210 has a unique MAC address and is connected to the network terminal 1 and the desk computer 3 via the local interface 100 and the wide area network 5 via the wide area interface 300. Is connected to.

The database 220 stores a plurality of virtual IP addresses to be allocated to the network terminal 1, information about the network terminal 1 assigned to any one of the plurality of virtual IP addresses, information about a user, and the like. As described above, when the user uses the automatic network access service of the present invention, the information stored in the database 220 is managed in the form of a predetermined table as shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 3, the information about the network terminal 1 allocated to the virtual IP address includes a fixed IP address, a MAC address, etc. of the network terminal 1, and the information about the user includes a name, a room number, User ID (ID), password, amount of data (bytes) downloaded to network terminal 1, service usage time (start time / end time), service usage fee and the like.

The address management module 230 includes a terminal address manager 232 and a virtual IP allocator 234. The terminal address manager 232 responds to the ARP request signal for the gateway of the network terminal 1 connected to the local interface 100 as if it is a requested gateway, and sends a MAC address and a MAC address from the network terminal 1. It receives a fixed IP address and delivers it to the virtual IP allocation unit 234. The virtual IP allocator 234 selects a virtual IP address that is not assigned to another network terminal among a plurality of virtual IP addresses stored in the database 220 and provides the selected virtual IP address and the terminal address manager 232. MAC address and fixed IP address of the network terminal 1 to be matched. That is, the virtual IP allocator 234 records the MAC address and the fixed IP address of the network terminal 1 in a table of the database 220 so as to match the selected virtual IP address.

The user authentication module 240 requests the room number and password of the user from the network terminal 1 when the web browser is executed from the network terminal 1 assigned the virtual IP address, and from the network terminal 1. It is checked whether the room number and password received match the information registered in the database 220. If the received room number and password match the registered information, the user authentication module 240 generates an authentication confirmation signal. At this time, if the received room number and password do not match the registered information, the user authentication module 240 provides a network connection impossible message to the network terminal (1).

The packet control module 250 includes a packet transceiver 252, a virtual IP combiner / masker 254, and a MAC address searcher 256. The packet transceiver 252, in response to the authentication confirmation signal generated from the user authentication module 240, the virtual IP combination / transmission packet provided from the network terminal 1 via the local network and the network card 210 / The packet is transmitted to the masking unit 254 and the transmission packet provided from the virtual IP combining / masking unit 254 is transmitted to the wide area network 5 through the network card 210. Further, when the response packet in response to the transmission packet is received through the wide area network 5, the packet transceiver 252 reads the destination address (that is, the virtual IP address) of the response packet to the MAC address. Provided to the search unit 256. Then, the packet transceiver 252 transmits the response packet to the local network through the network card 1 so as to be transmitted to the network terminal 1 having the MAC address provided from the MAC address search unit 256. Preferably, the packet transceiving unit 252 provides the user information management module 260 with information on the response packet downloaded to the network terminal 1, for example, the amount (bytes) of data downloaded. The virtual IP combining / masking unit 254 masks the source address (that is, MAC address and fixed IP address) of the transmission packet provided from the packet transmitting / receiving unit 252, and matches the virtual IP address matched with the masked source address. Is read from the database 220, combined with the transmission packet, and then transmitted to the packet transceiver 252. In this case, the transmission packet has a destination address, a source address (ie, a virtual IP address, a masked fixed IP address, a masked MAC address), data, and the like as shown in FIG. 4, and the virtual IP address. Only the source address is recognized. The MAC address retrieval unit 256 retrieves the MAC address matched to the virtual IP address of the response packet provided from the packet transceiving unit 252 in the database 220, and transmits the retrieved MAC address to the packet transceiving unit 252. To provide.

The user information management module 260 includes a personal information manager 262 and a usage information manager 264. The personal information manager 262 stores information about the user provided from the desk computer 3, name, name and room number of the user, provided in the database 220 at check-in of the user. A user's ID and password are generated based on the number and stored in the database 220. At this time, the personal information manager 262 provides the generated ID and password of the user to the desk computer 3 so that the user who checks in can check. In addition, the personal information management unit 262, in response to the authentication confirmation signal of the user authentication module 240, the user's name, password, ID and room number, etc. stored in the database 220, the user's network terminal 1 It matches with the virtual IP address assigned to and records the service use start time and service use end time of the user in the database 220. The usage information management unit 264 is a data amount of the response packet provided from the packet transmission / reception unit 252 of the packet control module or information on the time when the network terminal 1 is connected to the network card 210, that is, the service usage time. To the database 220.

The fee management module 270 includes a fee calculator 272 and a fee manager 274. The fee calculator 272 reads the amount of download data or network access service usage time stored in the database 220, calculates the service usage fee of the present invention based on the data amount or usage time, and calculates the fee. To the charge management unit 274. The fee manager 274 records the fee provided from the fee calculator 272 to the database 220. In addition, the fee management unit 274 reads the service usage history from the database 220, that is, user ID, room number, usage time, data amount, fee, and the like, and manages the fee through the wide area interface 300. And transmits the service usage history to the desk computer 3 at the time of check-out of the user.

The wide area interface 300 interfaces communication between the server 200 and the external server 6 and between the server 200 and the fee management computer 400. The wide area interface 300 includes a second hub 310, a router 320, and a channel service unit (hereinafter, referred to as a “CSU”) 330.

The second hub 310 is connected to the server 200, the router 320 and the billing management computer 400, the service usage history transmitted from the server 200 is transferred to the billing management computer 400 The transmission packet is transmitted to the router 320. The second hub 310 transmits a response packet input through the router 320 to the server 200.

The router 320 is connected to the CSU 330, and transmits a transmission packet provided from the server 200 to the CSU 330 through the second hub 310, and transmits a CSU (from the wide area network 5). The response packet input through the 330 is transmitted to the second hub 310.

The CSU 330 converts a transmission packet input through the router 320 into a predetermined form and transmits it to the wide area network 5, and transmits a response packet input through the wide area network 5 to the router 320. do.

The fee management computer 400 stores the service usage history provided from the server 200 through the wide area interface 300. When the request for the service usage history is received from the server 200, the request is received. The received information to the server 200.

5A and 5B are flowcharts illustrating an automatic network access service method using the system of FIG. 5A and 5B, the automatic network access service method of the hotel according to the present invention, when the network terminal 1 of the user having a user ID and password is connected to the local network 100, the server 200 ) Receives an ARP request signal for a gateway generated from the network terminal 1 (S502).

At this time, the server 200 receives the MAC address and the fixed IP address of the network terminal 1 provided from the network terminal 1 in response to the ARP request signal as if it is the requested gateway (S504). . Then, the server 200 selects a virtual IP address that is not assigned to another network terminal among a plurality of virtual IP addresses stored in the database 220 (S508), and the selected virtual IP address and the network terminal 1 Match the MAC address and the fixed IP address (S510).

When the web browser is executed from the network terminal 1 (S512), the server 200 requests / receives the user's room number and password from the network terminal 1 (S514). It is checked whether the room number and password received are that of a user registered in the database 220 (S516). In the checking step (S516), if it is confirmed that the user is an unregistered user, the server 200 transmits a connection not available message to the network terminal (1) (S518), the user enters the room number and password To reenter.

On the other hand, in the confirmation step (S516), if it is confirmed that the user is a registered user, the server 200 generates an authentication confirmation signal, and records the service usage start details of the user in the database 220 ( S520). That is, the user name, password, ID, and room number stored in the database 220 are matched with the virtual IP address assigned to the network terminal, and the service usage start time and the like are recorded in the database 220.

At the same time, the server 200 receives a transmission packet provided from the network terminal 1 through a local network (S522), and reads a virtual IP address matched with a source address of the received transmission packet from the database 220. And combines the transmission packet (S524). Subsequently, the server 200 masks the original source address (ie, MAC address and fixed IP address) of the network terminal 1 recorded in the transmission packet (S526), and then transmits the transmission packet to the wide area interface 300. In step S528. In this case, the transmission packet is transmitted to the wide area network 5 through the wide area interface 300. Here, the source address of the transmission packet transmitted to the wide area network 5 is recognized as a virtual IP address.

Then, when a response packet is received in response to the transmission packet (S530), the server 200 matches the MAC address in the database 220 with a destination address (ie, a virtual IP address) of the received response packet. Search (S532). The server 200 transmits a response packet to the network terminal 1 that has transmitted the transmission packet using the retrieved MAC address (S534). In this case, the network terminal 1 outputs the data contained in the response packet. For example, if the packet transmitted from the network terminal 1 is a request for a predetermined web site home page, the network terminal 1 receives a response packet and displays the home page screen of the requested web site. In addition, the server 200 records the data amount of the response packet in the database 220 (S536).

When the user who receives the automatic network access service of the present invention ends the use of the service, the server 200 records the service end time in the database 220 (S538). In this embodiment, the end of service use is made when the network terminal 1 is separated from the local interface 100.

In this case, the server 200 calculates a service usage fee based on the amount of data stored in the database 220 or the network access service usage time (S540), and records the calculated fee in the database 220 (S542). .

Then, the server 200 transmits the service usage history to the fee management computer 400 through the wide area interface 300 (S544). In this case, the fee management computer 400 stores the service usage history provided from the server 270.

Using such an automatic network access service system and method in a hotel of the present invention, a user connects the terminal to the server 200 without changing the network environment of the terminal, and transmits and receives information through the wide area network 5. can do.

On the other hand, when the call signal generated from the landline phone 2 is input to the switching box 130 of the local interface, the switching box 130 sends the call signal of the landline phone 2 to the telephone exchange system 4. By sending, the user can make a phone call.

6 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for providing an automatic network access service according to the present invention using the system of FIG. Referring to FIG. 6, the hotel server 200 receives ① user name and room number input to the desk computer 3 at check-in of the user, generates and stores the user ID and password, and generates the generated ID and password. ② Provide ID and password to the desk computer (3).

Then, when the user's network terminal 1 is connected to the server 200 through the local interface 100 to generate an ③ ARP request signal, the server 200 is connected to the ④ ARP request signal of the network terminal 1. Generates a response signal for receiving the fixed IP address and MAC address from the network terminal 1. Subsequently, the server 200 allocates a virtual IP address to the network terminal 1 and matches the received fixed IP address with the MAC address and stores the virtual IP address.

In this case, when the web browser of the network terminal 1 is executed, the server 200 requests and receives the ID and password of the user ⑥ from the network terminal 1 and checks whether the user is a registered user.

Then, if the user is a registered user, the server 200 stores the service usage start history of the user, receives the transmission packet ⑦ from the network terminal 1, and records it as the source address of the transmission packet. The virtual IP address matched with the IP address and MAC address is combined into the source address of the transmission packet. The server 200 masks the fixed IP address and the MAC address to which the virtual IP address is combined. Then, the server 200 transmits the transmission packet combined with ⑧ virtual IP address to the external server 6 which is the receiver of the transmission packet through the wide area network 5.

Subsequently, when the received packet is received from the external server 6 in response to the transmission packet combined with the virtual IP address, the server 200 matches the destination address recorded in the received packet, that is, the virtual IP address. The Rx packet is transmitted to the network terminal 1 having the MAC address.

Then, when the user terminates the service by separating the network terminal 1 from the local interface 100, the server 200 calculates the service usage fee of the user and stores it with the service usage history of the user, Through the wide area interface 300, the user's network connection and service usage history is transmitted to the fee management computer 400. At the check-out of the user, the server 200 requests and receives the service usage history of the user from the fee management computer 400.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to one embodiment shown in the drawings, this is merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. . Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention will be defined by the appended claims technical spirit.

According to the automatic network access service system and method of the present invention as described above, the user is a simple operation of connecting a communication line in a guest room to a terminal, and accesses a network through a server without changing the network environment of the terminal and provides information. Can send and receive

Claims (9)

In a hotel network access service system for connecting a web browser and a terminal having a unique network address for network access to the network, First interfacing means connected to the terminal; Second interfacing means coupled to a wide area network for interfacing communications over the wide area network; And Receive the unique network address from the terminal connected to the first interfacing means and the second interfacing means, and connected to the first interfacing means, assigns a virtual network address to the terminal and stores the matching network address. And a server recording the unique network address as a source address from the terminal, combining the matched virtual network address with the packet and masking the unique network address, thereby intercepting the packet with the second interface. Means for transmitting the received packet to a terminal having a unique network address matched to the virtual network address when a packet having the virtual network address recorded as a destination address is received. Automatic network access service system of a hotel comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the server Networking means coupled to the first interfacing means and the second interfacing means; Data storage means for storing a plurality of virtual network address information to be allocated to the terminal, information on a terminal to which one of the plurality of virtual network addresses is allocated, and information on a user of the terminal; Receiving a unique network address of the terminal in response to an address resolution protocol request received from a terminal connected to the first interfacing means, matching the provided unique network address with any one of the plurality of virtual network addresses, and Address management means for storing in the storage means; And When a transmission packet in which the unique network address is recorded as a source address is provided from the terminal, a virtual network address matching the unique network address is combined with the transmission packet, and the masking of the unique network address is performed through the networking means. The transmission packet is transmitted to the second interfacing means, and when a response packet in which the virtual network address is written as a destination address is provided, the response packet is transmitted to a terminal having a unique network address matching the virtual network address. Packet control means Automatic network access service system of a hotel comprising a. The method of claim 2, wherein the server User information management means for storing information about the user input from the outside in the data storage means, and recording at least one of the amount of data downloaded to the terminal and the service use time of the user in the data storage means; ; And A fee management means for calculating a fee to be charged to the user based on at least one of the amount of the downloaded data and the usage time, and recording the calculated fee into the data storage means Automatic network access service system of a hotel, characterized in that it further comprises. The method of claim 3, Charge management terminal for receiving and storing the service usage history from the server The hotel's automatic network access service system further comprising. The method of claim 1, wherein the first interfacing means comprises: A hub connected to the server; And A switching box connected to the terminal, the hub, a predetermined telephone and an external telephone exchange system to switch communication between the hub and the terminal and communication between the telephone and the telephone exchange system Automatic network access service system of a hotel comprising a. A service method for connecting a terminal having a unique network address for a web browser and a network connection to a network using a server having a fixed network access address and a plurality of virtual network addresses, A) receiving a unique network address of the terminal from a terminal connected to the server; B) assigning any one of the plurality of virtual network addresses to a terminal having the received unique network address, and storing the unique network address in a database so as to match the allocated virtual network address; C) combining the allocated virtual network address with the transmission packet when a transmission packet in which the unique network address is written as a source address is input from the terminal; Masking a unique network address recorded in the transmission packet such that the virtual network address coupled to the transmission packet is recognized as a source address of the transmission packet; E) transmitting a transmission packet masked with the unique network address to the network; And If a response packet in which the virtual network address is written as a destination address is input through the network, F) searching the database and delivering the response packet to a terminal having a unique network address matching the virtual network address; step Automatic network access service method of the hotel comprising a. The method of claim 6, Storing at least one of the amount of data downloaded to the terminal and the service usage time in the database; And H) calculating a service usage fee based on at least one of the amount of data stored in the database and the usage time. Automatic network access service method of the hotel, characterized in that it further comprises. The method of claim 7, wherein I) step of transmitting the service usage history to a predetermined charge management terminal Automatic network access service method of the hotel, characterized in that it further comprises. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein step A) A1) receiving an address resolution protocol request signal for a gateway from a terminal connected to the server; And A2) the server receiving the unique network address from the terminal in response to the address resolution protocol request signal. Automatic network access service method of the hotel comprising a.