JP2000004484A - Communication support system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a message sender to send a message to an unspecified user meeting a condition of a space by having only to specify the condition of space without specifying a recipient of the message. SOLUTION: An information processing terminal 109 sends a message addressed to an area address (condition of space) that specifies an area of a radio wave arrival range of a radio base station 102, not a user address specifying the user. Then a server 108 converts the area address into a user address specifying a PHS (registered trademark) terminal 101 resident in an area denoted by the area address and sends the message after conversion to an exchange 103.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of transmitting a message to a user who is optimally spatially (or spatially and temporally) without specifying a recipient of the message. A communication support system that made it possible.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a private paging system, a work communication system, and the like are known as private wireless systems having a service area in a private area or a limited area. All of such private wireless systems are based on the premise of voice communication and simple information transfer from a master station to a slave station. A PHS (Personal Handy Phone System) is a wireless communication system having a high potential for data communication. For the private radio system and PHS, for example, see “Mobile Communication Handbook (ed. By Tadao Saito and Keiji Tachikawa, Nov. 15, 1995, published by Ohmsha)”.
Etc. have a detailed description.

[0003] As a system that uses location information in a private branch exchange, there is a plant network system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 8-313837. This system uses PHS to postpone data necessary for plant maintenance according to the destination of plant maintenance personnel.

In PHS roaming, communication can be freely performed in areas other than the registration area by grasping the PHS movement area. The roaming method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-322340.

[0005] Also, there is known a service for transferring a message to an information processing terminal or a portable paging receiver using a wireless system. In this type of service, the destination of the message is individual, and the sender of the message needs to specify and send the personal message address or the number of the portable receiver for wireless calling. A method of transferring a message to a portable paging receiver is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-86354.

[0006]

As described above, in the prior art, it is possible to grasp the position information of a user and to transfer a message using a wireless system. However, the sender of the message needs to specify the destination of the individual who will be the recipient of the message, and cannot always provide a service that is suitable for a place or a situation.

[0007] When it is desired to send a valuable message to a user who is in an area at a certain time, rather than sending a message to the user,
Often, the point of view of sending a message to that area at that time is important.

For example, in a plant operation monitoring system, a plant maintenance person periodically performs measurement and equipment inspection in the field, but a plurality of plant maintenance people are present in the plant, and a request is made to investigate a certain instrument. When doing so, it is preferable to transmit the instruction message not to a specific plant maintenance person but to the plant maintenance person located closest to the instrument.

[0009] Now, suppose that a message is to be transmitted to a person who is at point B at A, and there is a request that any person can be sent.

Conventionally, the sender of a message has two steps: Step 1: trace a person at point B at time A Step 2: specify a user at point B and send the message to the specified user as a destination Procedure had to be performed.

On the other hand, the present invention makes it possible to transmit a message only by a one-step procedure by regarding the time point A and the point B as a kind of address.

That is, an object of the present invention is that the sender of a message specifies the condition of space (or space and time) without specifying the recipient of the message.
By enabling the transmission of a message to an unspecified user meeting the conditions, a moving user can receive a message suitable for the place (or the place and the time). It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication support system, an information processing terminal, a wireless telephone network, a message server, and a recording medium.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a plurality of radio base stations installed so as to cover different areas, and a plurality of radio base stations located in each area. A communication support system connected to a wireless telephone network including an exchange for managing location information indicating a wireless telephone terminal, comprising at least one information processing terminal connected via a network, and a server, The information processing terminal has first message transmitting means for transmitting a message addressed to a desired area to the server, and the server has a position information acquiring means for acquiring position information managed by the exchange. And, a message receiving means for receiving a message transmitted from the information processing terminal, and a message received by the message receiving means, A radiotelephone terminal that is located in an area that is a destination of a message, a radiotelephone terminal identification unit that identifies the location based on the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit, and a message received by the message reception unit. Second message transmitting means for transmitting the message to the exchange with the radio telephone terminal specified by the radio telephone terminal specifying means as a destination.

According to the first aspect, when the user of the information processing terminal transmits a message addressed to the area,
The message reaches the user of the wireless telephone terminal existing in the destination area. Therefore, the user of the message transmission source can transmit the message to the unspecified user meeting the condition only by specifying the condition (area) of the space. , You can receive the appropriate message for that location.

In the first aspect, the location information acquiring means acquires the location information by periodically accessing the location information managed by the exchange, or transmits the location information from the exchange. The received position information may be received to acquire the position information.

Further, the second message transmitting means includes:
For the message that the wireless telephone terminal identification means cannot identify the wireless telephone terminal, transmission may be waited until the wireless telephone terminal identification means can identify the wireless telephone terminal.

[0017] Alternatively, the message received by the message receiving means is divided by the number of all the wireless telephone terminals identified by the wireless telephone terminal identifying means for the message.
Each of these wireless telephone terminals may be transmitted to the exchange as a destination.

Further, for each message transmitted by the second message transmitting means, the server manages a destination / transmission terminal for managing a wireless telephone terminal as a destination of the message and an information processing terminal as a transmission source of the message. Source management means, a reply message receiving means for receiving, from the exchange, a reply message returned from the wireless telephone terminal to which the second message transmitting means has transmitted the message, and a reply message received by the reply message receiving means. And a message replying means for transmitting the reply message to the information processing terminal managed by the destination / transmission source management means in association with the transmission source wireless telephone terminal of the reply message.

Further, when the information processing terminal connected to the wireless telephone terminal can transmit a message addressed to a desired area to the server using the wireless telephone terminal,
The message receiving means may receive, from the exchange, a message transmitted from the wireless telephone terminal by an information processing terminal connected to the wireless telephone terminal.

[0020] Next, according to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the first message transmitting means includes, in a message to be transmitted to the server, a time at which the server should transmit the message. At the time when the time indicated by the time information specified in the message reaches the time when the second message transmitting means receives the message received by the first message receiving means. A message is transmitted to the exchange with the wireless telephone terminal identified by the wireless telephone terminal identification means as a destination.

According to the second aspect, if the user of the information processing terminal specifies and transmits time information in a message addressed to the area, the message has the time indicated by the specified time information. At this point, it reaches the user of the wireless telephone terminal existing in the destination area.
Therefore, the user of the message transmission source can transmit the message to an unspecified user meeting the conditions only by specifying the condition of space (area) and the condition of time (time information). Therefore, the moving user can receive a message suitable for the place and the time.

[0022] In the second aspect, the server further includes a transmission source management unit that manages, for each message received by the message reception unit, an information processing terminal of the transmission source. The message transmitting means manages, for a message whose wireless telephone terminal identification means has not been able to identify the wireless telephone terminal even after the predetermined time limit has elapsed, the transmission source managing means manages the message in association with the message. The message may be returned to the information processing terminal that is present.

Further, when the message received from the exchange by the message receiving means is a predetermined special message, the wireless telephone terminal specifying means is located in the same area as the wireless telephone terminal from which the message is transmitted. All the existing wireless telephone terminals are specified based on the location information acquired by the location information acquisition means, and the second message transmission means transmits the message received by the message reception means from the exchange, If the message is a special message, the message is transmitted to the exchange by the number of all the radio telephone terminals specified by the radio telephone terminal specifying means for the message, each of these radio telephone terminals being the destination. You may do so.

Further, the first message transmitting means includes:
The telephone number of the telephone terminal used by the user of the information processing terminal may be specified in the message transmitted to the server. .

The information processing terminal, which is connected to a wireless telephone terminal capable of communicating via a wireless telephone network connected to the communication support system and transmits and receives messages using the wireless telephone terminal, comprises: And a message transmission unit for transmitting a message addressed to a desired area to the server. .

The information processing terminal, which is connected to a wireless telephone terminal communicable via a wireless telephone network connected to the communication support system and transmits / receives a message using the wireless telephone terminal, comprises: A message transmitting means for transmitting a message addressed to a desired area to the server, wherein the message transmitting means sends the special message to the server when a predetermined instruction is input. Transmission may be characterized.

In the wireless telephone network connected to the communication support system, the wireless telephone terminal communicable via the wireless telephone network informs the exchange that a call is answered to a message received from the exchange. The exchange, which comprises a call answering requesting means for making a request, and forming a wireless telephone network, the wireless telephone being a destination of the message when the telephone number is specified in the message transmitted from the server. A terminal and a source telephone number managing means for managing the telephone number in association with the telephone number, and, when a request to answer the call is requested from the wireless telephone terminal that transmitted the message, the source telephone number is associated with the wireless telephone terminal. A call path establishment for calling a telephone terminal having a telephone number managed by the number management means and establishing a communication path between the wireless telephone terminal and the telephone terminal. It may have the means.

Further, the present invention provides a radio telephone including a plurality of radio base stations installed so as to cover different areas, and an exchange for managing location information indicating radio telephone terminals existing in each area. A communication support system connected to a network, comprising: at least one information processing terminal and a server connected to each other via a network, wherein the information processing terminal sends a message addressed to a desired area to the server. A first message transmitting unit that transmits the message, the server receives a message transmitted from the information processing terminal, and an area that is a destination of the message received by the message receiving unit. Wireless telephone terminal notification request for designating and requesting the exchange to notify a wireless telephone terminal existing in the area And transmitting the message received by the message receiving means to the exchange to the wireless telephone terminal notified from the exchange in response to the request made by the wireless telephone terminal notification request means for the message. Message transmission means.

Further, in a wireless telephone network connected to the communication support system, when an exchange of the wireless telephone network requests notification of a wireless telephone terminal from the server, the exchange switches to an area designated at the time of the request. A wireless telephone terminal identifying means for identifying an existing wireless telephone terminal based on position information managed by the local exchange; and a wireless telephone for notifying the server of the wireless telephone terminal identified by the wireless telephone terminal identifying means. Terminal notification means.

Further, the present invention provides a radio telephone including a plurality of radio base stations installed so as to cover different areas, and an exchange for managing position information indicating radio telephone terminals existing in each area. A communication support system connected to a network, comprising: at least one information processing terminal and a server connected to each other via a network, wherein the information processing terminal transmits a message addressed to a desired area to the server. First message transmitting means for transmitting a message transmitted from the information processing terminal; and a message receiving means for receiving a message transmitted from the information processing terminal; Of the messages received by the receiving means, the messages addressed to the area specified at the time of the request are The radio telephone terminal specified during the request as the destination, the second message transmitting means for transmitting to said exchange, may have.

In a wireless telephone network connected to the communication support system, when an exchange forming the wireless telephone network updates the location information managed by the own exchange, the wireless telephone terminal to be updated is updated. And a message requesting unit for requesting the server to transmit a message by designating an area where the wireless telephone terminal is present.

Further, according to the present invention, a radio telephone network including a plurality of radio base stations installed so as to cover different areas, and an exchange managing position information indicating radio telephone terminals existing in each area. A message server connected to the message server, a position information acquiring unit for acquiring position information managed by the exchange, and an information processing terminal connected to the message server via a network. Or a message receiving means for receiving from the exchange, and for the message received by the message receiving means, the location information obtaining means obtains a wireless telephone terminal present in an area which is a destination of the message. Wireless telephone terminal specifying means for specifying based on location information, and a message received by the message receiving means. And the wireless telephone terminal from the destination identified said wireless telephone terminal identifying means for the message, the second message transmitting means for transmitting to said exchange, and has a.

[0033] In the above-mentioned message server, the second message transmitting means may include, when time information indicating a time at which the message should be transmitted is specified in the message received by the message receiving means, At the time when the time indicated by the time information comes, the message may be transmitted to the exchange after the radio telephone terminal specified by the radio telephone terminal specifying means is set as a destination.

In the present invention, each of the above means may be realized on a server as a process by a program recorded on a recording medium.

[0035]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a network system to which the communication support system of the first embodiment is applied.

As shown in FIG. 1, the communication support system of the first embodiment comprises a server 108, a PC
An information processing terminal 109 such as a (personal computer) or WS (work station) is connected to the LAN 106.

As shown in FIG. 1, the communication support system according to the first embodiment includes a plurality of wireless telephone terminals 101, a plurality of wireless base stations 102, and an exchange 103.
, And a portable information processing terminal 105 is connected to each wireless telephone terminal 101. The exchange 103 is connected to a telephone network 107, and a plurality of telephone terminals 11 are connected to the telephone network 107.
0 is connected.

Here, the wireless telephone terminal 101 and the information processing terminal 105 are defined as separate devices, but the information processing terminal and the information processing terminal having a built-in communication function are used. It may be a device in which the processing terminal 105 is integrated.

Here, as the radio telephone terminal 101, a PHS (pe) having a narrow radio wave reach from the radio base station 102 of about 200 m and a high potential for data communication.
rsonal handy phone system).

Next, each device constituting the network system shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the server 108 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, a position information acquisition unit (also referred to as position information acquisition means. The same applies to each of the following units).
In 81, the exchange 103 acquires the position information, and updates the position information management table stored in the position information management table storage unit 1082. The message receiving unit 1083
A message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109 via the LAN 106 is received. Wireless telephone terminal specifying unit 108
4 stores, in the position information management table storage unit 1082, the wireless telephone terminal 101 existing in the area added to the message as the destination of the message from the information processing terminal 109 received by the message receiving unit 1083. Identify using the stored position information management table. The destination / source management unit 1085 identifies the destination of the message from the information processing terminal 109 received by the message receiving unit 1083 from the area added to the message by the number of the wireless telephone terminal 101 identified by the wireless telephone terminal identification unit 1084 (User address).
Further, the changed destination is transmitted to the information processing terminal 10 of the transmission source.
9 and is registered in the transmission source management table stored in the transmission source management table storage unit 1086. The message transmission unit 1087 transmits the message whose destination and transmission source have been changed by the destination / transmission source management unit 1085 to the exchange 103.
Send to The reply message receiving unit 1088 receives the reply message sent from the wireless telephone terminal 101 via the exchange 103. As for this reply message, in the destination / source management unit 1085, the return destination is specified from the source of the message from the source management table stored in the source management table storage unit 1086, and the specified return destination is specified as the destination. Is changed to a reply message. The message reply unit 1089 converts the reply message whose destination is specified by the destination / source management unit 1085 into the LA
Send it out on N106. Location information management table storage unit 1
In the position information management table stored in 082, the user address of the wireless telephone terminal 109 existing in the area is registered for each area address. The source information management table stored in the source management table storage unit 1086 contains, for each message received from the wireless telephone terminal identification unit 1084, the address and the source of the wireless telephone terminal 101 that is the destination of the message. The address of the information processing terminal 109 is registered. The non-received message storage unit 1090 stores messages that are not immediately transmitted to the exchange 103 among the messages received by the message receiving unit 1083.

It should be noted that the server 108 shown in FIG.
CPU 701, memory 702, secondary storage device 703, exchange interface 704, LA
In the information processing apparatus including the N interface 705, the CPU 701 loads a program stored in the secondary storage device 703 onto the memory 702 and executes the program, thereby realizing the process.

FIG. 3 is a functional configuration diagram of the information processing terminal 109 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, a user interface unit 1091 receives a message input from a user, and displays the received message and a reply message. The message transmission unit 1092 transmits a message received from the user via the user interface unit 1091 and addressed to the area address to the LAN 1092.
Send up. The message receiving unit 1093 is connected to the LAN 1
It receives the reply message addressed to itself sent via the interface 06 and sends it to the user interface unit 1091.

The information processing terminal shown in FIG.
In the information processing apparatus having a configuration in which the exchange interface 704 is omitted in the above, the CPU 701 stores the program stored in the secondary storage device 703 in the memory 7.
02 and executed as a process.

The information processing terminal 105 shown in FIG.
The configuration is basically the same as that shown in FIG. 3 except that the partner of the message transmitting unit 1092 and the receiving unit 1093 is replaced by the wireless telephone terminal 101 from the LAN 106.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the exchange 103 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 4, position information management section 1031
Obtains position information indicating which area the wireless telephone terminal 101 is located from the wireless telephone terminal 101 that is powered on, and stores the positional information in the position information management table storage unit 1032. It is managed by the position information management table. Here, the acquisition of the position information from the wireless telephone terminal 101 is performed at the time when the wireless telephone terminal is turned on and at every predetermined time interval after the power is turned on, by transmitting the position information signal emitted from the wireless telephone terminal to any wireless communication terminal. Base station 102
This is performed by checking whether or not the data has been received. It should be noted that the exchange 103 having acquired the position information from the wireless telephone terminal 101
Refers to the location information management table stored in the location information management table storage unit 1032, and if the area (ie, the wireless base station 102 that has received the location information signal) changes, the location information management table storage Part 1032
Update the location information management table stored in. Further, the location information management unit 1031 transmits the contents of the location information management table stored in the location information management table storage unit 1032 to the server 108 periodically or in response to an instruction from the server 108.

[0052] Data receiving section 1033 receives the message transmitted from server 108. Data transmission unit 10
Reference numeral 34 denotes an area in which the destination wireless telephone terminal 101 added to the message received by the data receiving unit 1033 is located from the location information management table stored in the location information management table storage unit 1032, and the acquired area is acquired. The message is transmitted to the destination wireless telephone terminal 101 via the managed wireless base station 102. Data receiving unit 10
35 is a wireless telephone terminal 101 via a wireless base station 102
Receives a reply message sent by The data transmission unit 1036 transmits the reply message received by the data reception unit 1035 to the server 10 that is the reply destination of the message.
Send to 8.

The exchange 103 shown in FIG. 4 periodically updates the contents of the location information management table stored in the location information management table
Is the same as that of a conventionally used exchange, except that it is transmitted to the server 108 according to the instruction. Exchange 1
The hardware configuration of 03 is the same as that of a conventionally used switchboard, and will not be described.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of the wireless telephone terminal.

In FIG. 5, the data receiving unit 1011 is
It performs incoming call processing of a message addressed to itself transmitted from the exchange 103 via the wireless base station 102 which controls the area in which it is located. Data transmitting section 1012 transmits the message received by data receiving section 1011 to information processing terminal 105 connected thereto. Data receiving unit 1013
Receives a reply message sent from the information processing terminal 105 connected to itself. Data transmission unit 1014
Transmits the reply message received by the data receiving unit 1013. This reply message is sent to the exchange 103 via the radio base station 102 which controls the area where the reply message exists.

Further, position information transmitting section 1015 transmits a position information signal at power-on and at regular intervals after power-on. This position information signal is sent to the exchange 103 via the wireless base station 102 which controls the area where the position information signal exists.

Note that the wireless telephone terminal 101 shown in FIG.
This is the same as a conventionally used wireless telephone terminal. The hardware configuration of the wireless telephone terminal 101 is the same as that of a conventionally used wireless telephone terminal, and a description thereof will be omitted.

Next, the flow of a message in the network system having the above configuration will be described.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing a message flow in the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the first embodiment, the message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109 is transmitted by the server 108 to the information processing terminal connected to the wireless telephone terminal 101 via the exchange 103. 105. Information processing terminal 105 for this message
Is sent to the information processing terminal 109 along the reverse route.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of a message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109.

As shown in FIG. 7, the message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109 includes a destination 301, a source user address 302, and a data part 303.

In the first embodiment, the user of the message transmission source satisfies the condition only by specifying the space (or space and time) without specifying the user of the message transmission destination. This makes it possible to send a message to an unspecified user.

Therefore, in the first embodiment, the destination 30 of the message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109 is
1, an area address ("plant1" in the example of FIG. 6) that specifies an area that is a radio wave coverage of the wireless base station 102 is set instead of the user address that specifies the user. Further, in addition to the area address, a transmission waiting time or a designated transmission time can be set as the destination 301. Note that the destination 30
The area address set to 1 is for specifying a space condition, and the transmission waiting time or designated transmission time set for the destination 301 is for specifying a time condition.

The setting of the area address and the designated transmission time can be set by the user through the user interface unit 1091 shown in FIG.

In the first embodiment, the server 1
Reference numeral 08 denotes a message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109 by the wireless telephone identification unit 1084 shown in FIG. 2 to the wireless telephone (PHS) existing in the area indicated by the area address set as the destination 301 of the message. ) To transmit the area address to the information processing terminal 105 connected to the terminal 101,
Is converted to the specified user address (“# 4” in the example of FIG. 6).

If the destination of the message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109 is further set to the transmission waiting time or the designated transmission time, the server 1
08 indicates that, when the transmission waiting time has elapsed or the transmission specified time has come, the message is stored in the area indicated by the area address set in the destination 301 of the message. In order to transmit to the information processing terminal 105 connected to the terminal 101, the area address is changed by the wireless telephone terminal identification unit 1084 shown in FIG. Then, after being converted to “# 4”), it is temporarily stored in the unsent message storage unit 1090. Then, the radiotelephone terminal identifying unit 1084 fetches the message from the unsent message storage unit 1090 when the transmission waiting time has elapsed or when the designated transmission time has been reached,
I try to send.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the server 108 performs the conversion of the area address set as the destination 301 of the message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109, in order to It is necessary to manage the position information, and a method of managing the position information will be described below.

FIG. 8 shows that the exchange 103 is
Position information management table 401 stored in the position information management table storage unit 1032 to manage the position information
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8, the position information management table 40 stored in the position information management table
1 is a field 402 in which an area number that is an identification number of an area of the wireless base station 102 is stored;
PHS which is an identification number of the wireless telephone (PHS) terminal 101
And a field 403 in which a number is stored.

The exchange 103 has a location information management table 4
01, for each area number of the area of each wireless base station 102, the PH of the PHS terminal 101 existing in the area
Manage S numbers. That is, the exchange 103 uses the position information management unit 1031 shown in FIG.
At the time when it detects that the
The HS number field 403 is updated.

FIG. 9 shows a case where the server 108 transmits a radio telephone (PH)
S) It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the position information management table stored in the position information management table storage part 1082 in order to manage the position information of the terminal 101.

As shown in FIG. 9, the position information management table 50 stored in the position information management table
1 is a field 502 for storing an area address and a field 50 for storing an area number.
3 and a field 504 in which a user address is stored.

The server 108 stores the position information management table 5
01, the area number of the area of each wireless base station 102 is managed in association with the area address set as the destination 301 of the message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109. It should be noted that the correspondence between the area number and the area address is set in advance so that n: n (n = 1 or more), and a plurality of areas are associated with one area address. Is also good.

Further, the server 108 uses the position information management table 501 to, for each area number of the area of each radio base station 102, the PHS terminal 101 existing in the area.
Manage user addresses that specify Since the user address and the PHS terminal 101 correspond one-to-one,
Here, the user address is a PHS number.

The server 108 has a position information acquisition unit 1081
Thus, the user address field 504 is updated according to the position information of the PHS terminal 101 acquired from the exchange 103 as described later.

FIG. 10 shows that the server 108 transmits a radio telephone (PH)
S) It is a sequence diagram when acquiring the location information of the terminal 101 from the exchange 103.

FIG. 10A shows a method in which the server 108 periodically accesses (polls) the exchange 103 to acquire the position information managed by the exchange 103. The server 108 accesses (polls) the exchange 103 by the location information acquisition unit 1081, acquires the location information managed by the exchange 103, compares the acquired location information with its own location information, and changes If there is, the user address field 504 in the position information management table 501 is updated.

FIG. 10B shows that the exchange 103
A method of notifying the server 108 when the position movement of the PHS terminal 101 is detected is shown. Exchange 1
In step 03, the position information management unit 1031 manages the update status of the position information management table 401, and when there is an update, transmits the updated position information to the server. In response, the server 108 sets the position information acquisition unit 1081
When the notification is received from the exchange 103, the user address field 5 in the location information management table 501
Update 04.

Next, the message transmission processing of the server 108 will be described.

As described above, the server 108
701, a memory 702, a secondary storage device 703, an exchange interface 704, and a LAN
It has a configuration of an information processing device having an interface 705. The message transmission process described below is executed by the CPU 7
01 is realized by loading a program stored in the secondary storage device 703 onto the memory 702 and executing it.

The following description is directed to a case where only an area address (condition of space) is set as the destination 301 of a message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109. Therefore, the server 108 sets the information processing terminal 1
The trigger for transmitting the message transmitted from the terminal 09 to the corresponding wireless telephone terminal 101 is the time when the message is received from the information processing terminal 109.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the message transmission process of the server 108.

In FIG. 2, message receiving section 1083
When a message is received from the information processing terminal 109 via the LAN 106,
4 reads the area address set as the destination 301 of the message (step 801) as shown in FIG.
The user address field 504 corresponding to the area address read in step 801 in the position information management table 501 stored in 082 is checked. Thus, it is checked whether or not a user exists in the area of the area address (step 802).

If the user exists in the area of the area address (step 802), the radio telephone terminal identification unit 1084 sends the corresponding user address to the destination 301 instead of the area address read in step 801.
(Step 803), and then the message is transmitted from the message transmitting unit 1087 (Step 80).
4). Note that, when a plurality of users exist in the same area, the wireless telephone terminal identification unit 1084 selects one user. Here, the method for selecting the user is not particularly defined.

On the other hand, if no user exists in the area of the area address (step 802), the radio telephone terminal identification section 1084 stores the message in the untransmitted message storage section 1
090 (step 805).
At this time, messages are stored for each area address.

Further, the radiotelephone terminal specifying unit 1084 uses the position information acquiring unit 1081 to
When the user address field 504 in the location information management table 501 is updated based on the location information obtained by the method shown in FIG. 0 (b), as shown in FIG. It is checked whether a message whose area address is set as the destination 301 is stored in the unsent message storage unit 1090 (step 811).

If the message is stored (step 811), the radio telephone terminal identification unit 1084 sets the updated user address in the destination 301 instead of the area address set in the destination 301 of the message (step 811). Step 812), and then the message is transmitted from the message transmitting unit 1087 (step 813).

As a result, step 80 in FIG.
The message stored in 5 is transmitted from the server 108 to the exchange 103 when the user is present in the area indicated by the area address set as the destination 301.

In this way, the exchange 108
03 is sent to the destination 3 of the message by the incoming call processing of the exchange 103, which is a known technique.
PH of the user address (PHS number) set to 01
It is transmitted to the S terminal 101 and transmitted to the information processing terminal 105 connected to the PHS terminal 101.

Information processing terminal 105 displays the received message on a screen. FIG. 13A shows an example of the screen display. In the example of FIG. 13A, the message content (the data portion 303 of the message) and the user address of the message transmission source (the message transmission source user address 302) are displayed on the display screen. .

Here, the screen display on the message transmitting side will be described along with the description of the screen display example on the message receiving side.

The user interface section 1091 of the information processing terminal 109 of the message transmission source may have any specification as long as it can transmit a message in which an area address is set to the destination 301. As shown in FIG. 14A, the message creation editor that operates on the display 109 displays a map of the message transmission area on the display screen, and when the user of the information processing terminal 109 specifies a desired location in the map, An area address corresponding to the designated place may be set as the destination 301.

For example, as shown in FIG. 14B, the message creation editor operating on the information processing terminal 109 displays the correspondence between the information (for example, plant number) representing the actual area and the area address. A list of addresses may be displayed on a display screen, and an area address corresponding to an item designated by the user of the information processing terminal 109 may be set as the destination 301.

As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the user of the message sender can call the space (or space and time) without knowing the position or address of the moving user. Since it is possible to send a message to an unspecified user who meets the condition only by specifying the condition, the user who is traveling can select an appropriate user for the location (or the location and the time). You will be able to receive messages.

Therefore, for example, by applying the first embodiment to a plant operation monitoring system, the maintenance manager can
Without managing the position of the plant maintenance staff in the field, you can send a message to the plant maintenance staff who is in the area where the instrument you want to investigate is installed, or a message indicating the occurrence of an abnormal situation. Become like Also, the plant maintenance staff on the message receiving side
It is only necessary to work in the area where the user is located, so that unnecessary movement is avoided.

Further, for example, by specifying an area corresponding to the station premises and transmitting a message, the information provider can
It is possible to transmit a train departure / arrival time and a communication message to a user existing in the station yard. Also, by specifying the area corresponding to the event site and transmitting the message, the information provider can transmit the event guide to the user existing at the event site. In addition, by specifying an area corresponding to the periphery of the restaurant and transmitting the message, the restaurant manager can transmit the menu contents to users existing around the restaurant.

As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to support various forms of communication.

In the above-described first embodiment, the case where only the area address (the condition of space) is set as the destination 301 of the message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109 will be described. The processing has been described. However, if the transmission waiting time or the designated transmission time (time condition) is further set, the server 108 temporarily stores the message received from the information processing terminal 109, and stores the destination 301 of the message. The message transmission process similar to the above-described message transmission process may be performed at the time when the transmission waiting time set in (1) has elapsed or when the designated transmission time has come.

Hereinafter, several application examples of the first embodiment will be described.

(Application Example 1) In the first embodiment, the server 108 receives the message received from the information processing terminal 109, the user address of the information processing terminal 109 from which the message is transmitted, and the destination of the message. By managing the user address of the PHS terminal 101 in association with the user address, the recipient of the message can transmit the reply message without knowing the user address of the source of the message.

Hereinafter, such a case will be described.

FIG. 15 shows a case where the server 108 manages the transmission source of a message.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a transmission source management table stored in an access point management table 85;

As shown in FIG. 15, the source management table 1 stored in the source management table storage unit 1085
Each entry 101 includes a field 1102 in which a message ID uniquely assigned to a message by the server 108 is stored, a field 1103 in which a user address of the information processing terminal 109 of the transmission source is stored, and a PH of the transmission destination.
A field 1104 stores the user address (PHS number) of the S terminal 101.

The destination / source management unit 1085 shown in FIG.
When a message is received from the wireless telephone terminal identification unit 1084, a message ID is assigned to the message, the assigned message ID and the user address of the information processing terminal 109 of the transmission source are transmitted to the message ID field 1102, Former user address field 11
03 and registered. Further, the destination / source management unit 108
5 registers the user address (PHS number) set as the destination 301 of the message in the destination user address field 1104 corresponding to the message ID of the message.

Next, a method of returning a message from the user of the wireless telephone (PHS) terminal 101 and the information processing terminal 105 which are the message recipients will be described.

The PHS terminal 101 and the information processing terminal 10
Upon receiving the message, the user 5 creates a reply message to the message and inputs a reply instruction.

In this example, the reply message can be transmitted without knowing the user address of the information processing terminal 109 of the message transmission source. 13B, the message content (data portion 303 of the message) and the reply button 901 may be displayed on the screen, for example.

The PHS terminal 101 and the information processing terminal 10
After creating the reply message, the user 5
By pressing 01, an instruction to transmit a reply message can be given to the information processing terminal 109 of the message transmission source.

Here, the reply button 901 is displayed not on the information processing terminal 105 but on the display of the PHS terminal 101 as shown in FIG. 13C so that a result equivalent to pressing the reply button 901 can be obtained. Display a specific number (for example, “* 1”)
The user of the terminal 101 and the information processing terminal 105 may perform the same instruction by pressing the displayed number.

When the reply button 901 is pressed, the information processing terminal 105 transmits the created reply message to the
Server 1 from PHS terminal 101 via exchange 103
08. Note that, at this time, the communication state shifted by transmitting the message is maintained between the PHS terminal 101 and the server 108.

When server 108 receives the reply message by reply message receiving section 1088 shown in FIG.
The transmission source management table 1 stored in the transmission source management table storage unit 1086 by the destination transmission source management unit 1085
PHS terminal 1 of the transmission source of the reply message in 101
The source user address field 1103 corresponding to the destination user address field 1104 storing the same user address as the user address 01 is checked.
Then, the message reply unit 1089 transmits the received reply message to the information processing terminal 109 of the source user address stored in the source user address field 1103.

Note that the destination transmission source management unit 1085 clears the corresponding entry in the transmission source management table 1101 when the message reply unit 1089 transmits the reply message.

As described above, according to this example, the server 108 allows the server 108 to receive the message received from the information processing terminal 109, the user address of the information processing terminal 109 from which the message is transmitted, and the transmission destination of the message. PHS terminal 1
01 is managed in association with the user address 01, so that the recipient of the message can transmit the reply message without knowing the user address of the message transmission source.

Further, according to this example, in the message transmission process, when the server tries to transmit the message, if the user does not exist in the area of the area address set as the destination 301 of the message, Further, if no user exists in the area even after the predetermined time limit has elapsed, the message is returned to the information processing terminal 109 of the transmission source, and the corresponding entry in the transmission source management table 1101 is deleted. You can make it clear.

(Application Example 2) In the first embodiment, it has been described that the user of the message transmission source is the user of the information processing terminal 109. However, the user may be a moving user (a user of the PHS terminal 101 and the information processing terminal 105), and the moving user does not need to know the position or address of the moving user to obtain the space (or the space and the space). The message can be transmitted to an unspecified user meeting the condition only by specifying the condition of “time”.

FIG. 16 is a conceptual diagram showing a message flow in this example.

As shown in FIG. 16, in this example, for example, a message transmitted from the information processing terminal 105 connected to the PHS terminal 101 located in “area 2” is transmitted to the server 108 via the exchange 103. The information is transmitted by the server 108 to the information processing terminal 105 connected to the PHS terminal 101 located in “area 1” via the exchange 103.

At this time, the server 108 may handle the message transmitted from the information processing terminal 105 in the same manner as the message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109.

(Application Example 3) In the first embodiment, when a plurality of users exist in the same area in step 802 of FIG. 12A, the server 108 selects and transmits one user. However, a message may be broadcast to all users existing in the same area without selecting one user. Here, the user of the message transmission source can request that the broadcast transmission be performed, and the wireless telephone terminal identification unit 1084 of the server 108 determines whether or not the broadcast transmission is requested. It may be determined whether to select a user.

FIG. 17 is a conceptual diagram showing the flow of messages in this example.

As shown in FIG. 17, in this example, for example, a message transmitted from the information processing terminal 105 connected to the PHS terminal 101 located in “area 1” is transmitted to the server 108 via the exchange 103. The information is transmitted by the server 108 to the information processing terminal 105 connected to all the PHS terminals 101 existing in the “area 3” via the exchange 103.

Also, the message transmission source user can specify the repetition period and number of broadcasts when requesting the broadcast transmission. The stored message is stored in the unsent message storage unit 1090, and the message is broadcast to all users existing in the area at the time of transmission according to the specified cycle and number. Is also good. Then, after transmitting the message a specified number of times, the message may be deleted from the untransmitted message storage unit 1090. Note that the position information acquisition unit 1081
Indicates that the position information management table storage unit 1082
Update the location information management table 501 stored in
Broadcast transmission is performed based on the updated position information.

According to this example, the user of the message transmission source can broadcast an emergency message or the like to all the users according to the situation, so that real-time communication can be performed.

(Application Example 4) In the first embodiment, similarly to Application Example 3, when the user of the message transmission source can request to perform the broadcast transmission, the wireless communication of the server 108 is performed. The telephone terminal identification unit 1084 determines the destination 301 of the message transmitted from the information processing terminal 105 connected to the PHS terminal 101.
If an area address is not set in the message, or if a predetermined specific area address (for example, “*”) is set, that is, if the message is a special message, it is managed by itself. Based on the location information, the area where the user of the message is present can be specified, and all the users existing in the specified area can be set as destinations. Thereby, the message can be transmitted to all users existing in the specified area.

FIG. 18 is a conceptual diagram showing the flow of messages in this example.

As shown in FIG. 18, in this example, for example, a message transmitted from the information processing terminal 105 connected to the PHS terminal 101 located in “area 1” is sent to the server 108 via the exchange 103. The information is transmitted by the server 108 via the exchange 103 to the information processing terminals 105 connected to all the PHS terminals 101 existing in “area 1”.

For example, when this example is applied to a plant operation monitoring system, if an emergency button provided in advance in the information processing terminal 105 is pressed, the area address is changed to the destination 3
01, or if an emergency message such that a predetermined specific area address is set as the destination 301 is transmitted to the server 108, the plant maintenance personnel in the field When an emergency situation such as an accident occurs, simply pressing the emergency button will broadcast an emergency message to other plant maintenance personnel in the same area. Will be able to get the help of members.

(Application Example 5) In the first embodiment, similarly to Application Example 3, when the user of the message transmission source can request to perform the broadcast transmission, the message is further added. In the case where the user of the transmission source can specify the number of users to be broadcast when the transmission is requested, the wireless telephone terminal identification unit 1084 of the server 108 sends the message to the area specified as the destination of the message. A specified number of users can be specified from existing users, and the specified user can be the destination. As a result, the message can be transmitted to the specified number of users.

In such a case, the wireless telephone terminal identification section 1084 of the server 108 performs step 8 in FIG.
If the message cannot be broadcasted to the specified number of users in 02, the message is temporarily stored in the unsent message storage unit 1090, and the number of the user who transmitted the message is managed. And
Every time the location information management table 401 is updated, it is checked whether there is any user who is present in the area designated as the destination of the message and has not yet transmitted the message, and has transmitted the message yet. If there is no user, the message is sent to the user. This processing is performed until the number of managed destination users reaches the specified number of users. When the number of destination users reaches the specified number of users, the message is deleted from the unsent message storage unit 1090.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The second embodiment of the present invention is different from the first embodiment in a method of returning a message from a receiver. That is, in the second embodiment, the recipient of the message sends the message to the telephone terminal 110 of the sender of the message.
The PHS terminal 101 replies with a voice message. Hereinafter, only differences from the first embodiment will be described.

In the second embodiment, the information processing terminal 1
05 and the wireless telephone (PHS) terminal 101 need to be separate devices, not an integrated device.

FIG. 19 is a conceptual diagram showing a message flow in the second embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 19, in the second embodiment, the message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109 is
As in the first embodiment, the exchange 1
The information is transmitted to the information processing terminal 105 connected to the PHS terminal 101 via the terminal 03a. P for this message
A reply message (voice message) from the HS terminal 101 is transmitted via the exchange 103a and the telephone network 107.
User's telephone terminal 110 used by the information processing terminal 109
Sent to.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing the format of a message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109.

[0137] As shown in FIG.
The message sent from is sent in addition to the destination 301, the source user address 302, and the data part 303,
To enable the recipient of the message to reply with a voice message, the source telephone number 3 which is the telephone number of the telephone terminal 110 used by the user of the information processing terminal 109
04 is added. The destination, the source user address, and the source telephone number can be set by the user via the user interface unit 1091 shown in FIG.

FIG. 21 is a functional block diagram of the exchange 103a shown in FIG.

The exchange 103a shown in FIG. 21 differs from the exchange 103 shown in FIG.
7 and the transmission source management table 1038 are added. The destination / source management unit 1037 associates the destination of the message from the server 108 received by the data reception unit 1033 with the source telephone number included in the message and stores the destination stored in the source management table storage unit 1038. Register in the source management table. The server (voice) message received via the data receiving unit 1035 is transmitted to the transmission source telephone number of the message specified by the transmission source management table stored in the transmission source management table storage unit 1038. Transmission unit 103
6 is controlled.

In the second embodiment, since the voice message returned from the recipient of the message does not pass through the server 108, the exchange 103 needs to manage the source telephone number. Hereinafter, a method of managing the source telephone number will be described.

FIG. 22 shows a case where the exchange 103 manages the transmission source telephone number.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a transmission source management table stored in a storage device.

As shown in FIG. 22, each entry of the transmission source management table 1701 stores the PHS of the transmission destination of the message.
A field 1702 stores a number and a field 1703 stores a source telephone number.

The destination / transmission source management unit 1037 transmits the message for each PHS number of the PHS terminal 101 to which the message is transmitted according to the transmission source management table 1701 stored in the transmission source management table storage unit 1038. The telephone number of the telephone terminal 110 used by the user of the original information processing terminal 109 is managed. That is, when transmitting the message transmitted from the server 108 to the PHS terminal 101, the destination / source management unit 1037 reads the telephone number set in the source telephone number 304 of the message, and PHS terminal 10 of transmission destination
Source phone number field 1 corresponding to PHS number 1
Register in 703.

When the user of the PHS terminal 101 and the information processing terminal 105 receives the message, the user of the PHS terminal 101 and the information processing terminal 105 transmits a reply message (voice message) to the telephone terminal 110 used by the user of the information processing terminal 109 of the message transmission source. Instructions to do so.

The second embodiment is such that the user of the information processing terminal 109 of the message transmission source can reply with a voice message without knowing the telephone number of the telephone terminal 110 used. Therefore, the screen display of the message on the information processing terminal 105 can be, for example, as shown in FIG.

The information processing terminal 105 has a reply button 901
Is pressed, the PHS terminal 101 notifies the exchange 103 of a reply instruction. Note that, at this time, the communication state shifted by transmitting the message is maintained between the PHS terminal 101 and the server 108.

When the exchange 103 is notified of the reply instruction from the PHS terminal 101 via the data receiving unit 1035, the exchange 103
The PHS number field 17 storing the same PHS number as the PHS number of the PHS terminal 101 in the transmission source management table 1701 stored in the transmission source management table storage unit 1038 by the destination / transmission source management unit 1037.
The source telephone number field 1703 corresponding to 02 is checked. Then, the data transmitting unit 1036 calls the telephone terminal 110 of the telephone number stored in the source telephone number field 1703 via the telephone network 107.
Then, when the telephone terminal 110 at the call destination answers, the exchange 103 switches the communication path with the server 108 to the communication path with the telephone terminal 110 by the destination / source management unit 1037. The communication between the PHS terminal 101 and the telephone terminal 110 is brought into a communication state.

It should be noted that the destination / source management unit 1037
When the call between the HS terminal 101 and the called telephone terminal 110 is in a communication state, the transmission source management table storage unit 103
8, the corresponding entry in the transmission source management table 1701 is cleared.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, the recipient of the message does not need to know the telephone number of the telephone terminal 110 of the user used by the information processing terminal 109 of the message transmission source. Since it is possible to reply with a voice message, real-time communication by voice can be achieved.

(Third Embodiment) Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the server 108a does not need to manage the position information of the PHS terminal 101. Only the differences will be described.

FIG. 23 is a conceptual diagram showing a message flow in the third embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 23, in the third embodiment, the message transmitted from the information processing terminal 109 is transmitted by the server 108a via the exchange 103b to the PHS terminal 101 in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Is transmitted to the information processing terminal 105 connected to.

FIG. 24 is a functional block diagram of the server 108a shown in FIG.

The server 108a shown in FIG. 24 differs from the server 108 shown in FIG. 2 in that an area address management table storage unit 1082a is provided in place of the position information management table storage unit 1082.
That is, a destination address acquisition unit 1081a is provided in place of 81.

Area address management table storage section 108
2a, as shown in FIG. 25, an area address management table 19 in which area addresses are associated with area numbers.
01 is stored. The destination address acquisition unit 1081a
The area address notified from the wireless telephone terminal identification unit 1084 is transmitted to the exchange 103b, and the address (destination address) of the wireless telephone terminal 101 received from the exchange 103b is notified to the wireless telephone terminal identification unit 1084 as a response.

FIG. 26 is a functional block diagram of the exchange 103b shown in FIG.

The exchange 103b shown in FIG. 26 differs from the exchange 103 shown in FIG.
9 is provided. Wireless communication terminal identification unit 1039
Uses the location information management table 1032 to
08a, the address of the wireless telephone terminal 101 existing in the area address notified from the server 108 is searched, and the server 108 uses the searched address of the wireless telephone terminal 101 as a destination address.
Send to a.

In the third embodiment, the server 108a
Does not manage the position information of the PHS terminal 101, the position information management table 401 and the position information acquisition unit 1081 become unnecessary. For this reason, as will be described later, the exchange 103 notifies the server 108 of information necessary for converting the destination 301 of the message.

FIG. 27 is a sequence diagram when the server 108a transmits a message.

FIG. 27A shows a method in which the server 108a requests an information notification from the exchange 103b when receiving the message.

In server 108a, when message receiving section 1083 receives a message from information processing terminal 109, wireless telephone terminal specifying section 1084 refers to area address management table 1901 stored in area address management table storage section 1082a. Then, an area number corresponding to the area address set as the destination 301 of the received message is specified. Then, the exchange 103b is notified of the specified area number via the destination address acquisition unit 1081a.

In response to this, the exchange 103b uses the wireless telephone terminal identification section 1039 to store the location information storage table 5 stored in the location information management table storage section 1032.
The PHS number of the wireless telephone (PHS) terminal 101 existing in the area indicated by the notified area number is obtained with reference to the P.01. Then, the obtained PHS number is notified to the server 108a as a destination address.

The server 108 receives the destination address
When the PHS number is received from the exchange 103b by 81a, the PHS number is notified to the wireless telephone terminal identification unit 1084. In response to this, the wireless telephone terminal identification unit 1084
The destination 301 of the message is changed to the notified PHS number, and the exchange 103 is exchanged via the message transmitting unit 1087.
b.

FIG. 27B shows the exchange 103b.
Shows a method of storing a message and then requesting the server 108a to transmit the message.

When the server 108a receives a message from the information processing terminal 109, the server 108a does not immediately transmit the message, but stores the message in the unsent message storage unit 1090 for each area address set as the destination 301. Keep it.

On the other hand, the exchange 103 periodically sends the location information management table 1
The message is transmitted by referring to the location information management table 501 stored in the area 03b, specifying the area number, and notifying the server 108a of the PHS number of the PHS terminal existing in the area specified by the area number. Request. Here, the area number may be specified in order for each area number stored in the position information management table 501, or the area number specified last time (one and the same) may be specified from the position information management table 501. (Not limited).

The server 108a operates as follows:
When the notification of the area number specified by the exchange 103b is received together with the PHS number associated with the area number by the 081a, the area number and the corresponding PHS number are notified to the wireless telephone terminal identification unit 1084. In response to this, the wireless number terminal specifying unit 1084 refers to the area address management table 1901 stored in the area address management table storage unit 1082a, and sets the area address corresponding to the specified area number as the destination 301. It is checked whether the received message is stored in the unsent message storage unit 1090. Then, if such a message is stored, the destination 301 of the message is converted into the designated PHS number, and the exchange 103b is sent via the message transmitting unit 1087.
Send to

FIG. 27C shows the exchange 103b.
Shows a method of requesting the server 108a to transmit a message when detecting the movement of the position of the PHS terminal 101.

When the server 108a receives a message from the information processing terminal 109, the server 108a does not transmit the message immediately, but stores the message in the unsent message storage unit 1090 for each area address set as the destination 301. Keep it.

On the other hand, when the exchange 103 has updated the location information management table 501 stored in the location information management table 103b by the wireless telephone terminal identification unit 1039, ie, when the PHS terminal 101 has moved, The PHS terminal 101 exists in the area where the PHS terminal 101 exists.
When only the terminal 101 exists, that is, when only one PHS number is registered in the area address with the increased PHS number in the location information management table 501, the area number of the area address is designated, and By notifying the server 108a together with the one PHS number registered in association with the request for transmission of the message.

The server 108a is provided with the destination address obtaining unit 1
When the notification of the area number specified by the exchange 103b is received together with the PHS number associated with the area number by the 081a, the area number and the corresponding PHS number are notified to the wireless telephone terminal identification unit 1084. In response to this, the wireless number terminal specifying unit 1084 refers to the area address management table 1901 stored in the area address management table storage unit 1082a, and sets the area address corresponding to the specified area number as the destination 301. It is checked whether the received message is stored in the unsent message storage unit 1090. Then, if such a message is stored, the destination 301 of the message is converted into the designated PHS number, and the exchange 103b is sent via the message transmitting unit 1087.
Send to

As described above, according to the third embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained even if the server 108a does not manage the position information of the PHS terminal 101. In other words, the user who sent the message can specify the condition of space (or space and time) without knowing the position and address of the moving user, and can specify an unspecified user who meets the condition. Being able to send messages allows the traveling user to receive messages appropriate for that location (or that location and time).

In the third embodiment, the server 108a
Does not need to manage the location information of the PHS terminal 101, the exchange between the exchange 103b and the server 108a is greatly remodeled, so that the local exchange is performed instead of the exchange 103b in the existing mobile telephone network 104. It is effective when applied to a private branch exchange.

Hereinafter, some application examples of the third embodiment will be described.

(Application Example 1) In the third embodiment, it is assumed that the user of the message transmission source is the user of the information processing terminal 109, but the telephone terminal 110 and the PHS terminal 1
01 user.

The user of the telephone terminal 110 or the PHS terminal 101 can create a message to be transmitted by a combination of numeric buttons as in the case of the portable receiver for wireless calling. In this case, the message destination 301 is a telephone number, and the message is sent to the server 108.
a, the exchange 103b sends the destination 3
01 must be performed.

More specifically, in this example, the telephone terminal 110 or the PHS terminal 101 associates a specific telephone number to be set as the destination 301 with an area address in advance,
When the user of the telephone terminal 110 or the PHS terminal 101 specifies the area address, a message in which the corresponding telephone number is set as the destination 301 is transmitted to the exchange 103b.

Here, the telephone terminal 110 and the PHS terminal 10
1 will be briefly described. For example, the telephone terminal 110 or the PHS terminal 101
As shown in FIG. 28, information indicating an actual area (for example, a plant number), an area address, and a corresponding display of a specific telephone number are displayed on a screen, and the telephone terminal 110 and the PHS terminal 101 are displayed. When the user specifies a desired item, the telephone number corresponding to the specified item is
The destination 301 can be set.

On the other hand, the exchange 103b associates a specific telephone number to be set as the destination 301 with an area number in advance and, when receiving a message from the telephone terminal 110 or the PHS terminal 101, sets the destination 301. The user (PHS terminal 101) existing in the area indicated by the area number corresponding to the telephone number
A message is transmitted to the S terminal 101.

FIG. 29 is a conceptual diagram showing the flow of messages in this example.

As shown in FIG. 29, in this example, for example, a message transmitted from the telephone terminal 110 is transmitted to the information processing terminal 105 connected to the PHS terminal 101 located in “area 1” by the exchange 103b. Sent.

(Application Example 2) In the third embodiment, as in the first embodiment, when a plurality of users exist in the same area, the exchange 103b selects and transmits one user. However, as in the application example 3 of the first embodiment, a message may be broadcast to all users existing in the same area without selecting one user. Good.

Here, the user who sent the message is
It may be possible to request that broadcast transmission be performed, and the exchange 103b may determine whether to select one user based on whether broadcast transmission is requested.

In this example, as in the first application example,
If the user who sent the message has the telephone terminal 110 or PH
When the user of the S terminal 101 is used, the user of the message transmission source may be able to request that the broadcast transmission be performed by voice message.

[0186]

According to the present invention, the sender of a message can specify a space (or
Since only a condition of (space and time) can be specified and a message can be transmitted to an unspecified user who meets the condition, the user who is traveling can check the location (or the location and the time). A suitable message can be received.

Therefore, according to the present invention, communication between users that is optimal in space (or spatially and temporally) becomes possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a network system to which a communication support system according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a functional configuration diagram of a server 108 shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a functional configuration diagram of the information processing terminal 109 shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a functional configuration diagram of the exchange 103 shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a functional configuration diagram of the wireless telephone terminal 101 shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a flow of a message in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of a message transmitted from the information processing terminal in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a location information management table managed by the exchange in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of a location information management table managed by a server according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram when the server acquires position information in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a hardware configuration diagram of a server according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a message transmission process of the server according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a screen display example of the information processing terminal on the message receiving side according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a screen display example of the information processing terminal on the message transmitting side according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of a transmission source management table managed by a server in an application example 1 of the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 16 is a conceptual diagram showing a message flow in an application example 2 of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a conceptual diagram showing a message flow in an application example 3 of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a conceptual diagram showing a message flow in an application example 4 of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a conceptual diagram showing a flow of a message in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of a message transmitted from the information processing terminal in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a functional configuration diagram of the exchange 103a shown in FIG.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of a transmission source management table managed by an exchange according to the second embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 23 is a conceptual diagram showing a flow of a message in the third embodiment of the present invention.

24 is a functional configuration diagram of a server 108a shown in FIG.

FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an area address management table managed by a server according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

26 is a functional configuration diagram of the exchange 103b shown in FIG.

FIG. 27 is a sequence diagram when a server transmits a message in the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is an explanatory diagram showing a screen display example of a telephone terminal or a PHS terminal in an application example 1 of the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 29 is a conceptual diagram showing a message flow in an application example 1 of the third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

101: wireless telephone terminal (PHS terminal), 102: wireless base station, 103: exchange, 104: wireless telephone network, 105:
Information processing terminal, 106: LAN, 107: telephone network, 10
8 Server, 109 Information processing terminal, 110 Phone terminal, 301 Destination, 302 Source user address, 3
03: data part, 304: source telephone number, 401 ...
Location information management table, 501: Location information management table, 701: CPU, 702: Memory, 703: Secondary storage device, 704: Switch interface, 705: LA
N interface, 901 Reply button, 1101 Source management table, 1701 Source management table, 1
901 area address management table.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Minoru Koizumi 1099 Ozenji Temple, Aso-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside System Development Laboratory, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Katsumi Hanashima 5-2-1 Omikacho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture No. In Hitachi, Ltd. Omika Works

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A wireless telephone network including a plurality of wireless base stations installed to cover different areas and an exchange for managing location information indicating wireless telephone terminals existing in each area. A communication support system comprising at least one information processing terminal and a server connected to each other via a network, wherein the information processing terminal transmits a message addressed to a desired area to the server. Wherein the server comprises: a position information acquisition unit for acquiring position information managed by the exchange; a message reception unit for receiving a message transmitted from the information processing terminal; and the message For a message received by the receiving means, a wireless telephone existing in an area which is a destination of the message. A wireless telephone terminal identifying unit that identifies the message based on the position information acquired by the position information acquiring unit; and a wireless telephone terminal that identifies the message received by the message receiving unit by the wireless telephone terminal identifying unit. To the above exchange, with the
Communication support system having a message transmission means. 2. The communication support system according to claim 1, wherein said location information acquisition means acquires the location information by periodically accessing location information managed by said exchange. . 3. The communication support system according to claim 1, wherein said first message transmitting means includes, in a message to be transmitted to said server, time information indicating a time at which said server should transmit said message. The second message transmitting means specifies the message received by the message receiving means when the time indicated by the time information specified in the message is reached. A communication support system for transmitting the specified wireless telephone terminal to the exchange after the destination. 4. The communication support system according to claim 1, wherein said second message transmission means specifies said wireless telephone terminal for a message whose wireless telephone terminal identification means has failed to identify a wireless telephone terminal. A communication support system for waiting for transmission until the means can identify the wireless telephone terminal. 5. The communication support system according to claim 4, wherein said server further includes a transmission source management unit for managing, for each message received by said message reception unit, an information processing terminal of the transmission source. The second message transmitting means, for a message for which the wireless telephone terminal identifying means has not been able to identify the wireless telephone terminal even after the predetermined time limit has elapsed, associates the message with the message and manages the transmission source management. A communication support system for returning the message to an information processing terminal managed by the means. 6. The communication support system according to claim 1, wherein, for each message transmitted by the second message transmitting means, the server comprises: a wireless telephone terminal that is a destination of the message; Destination / source management means for managing a source information processing terminal; and a reply message receiving means for receiving, from the exchange, a reply message returned from a wireless telephone terminal to which the second message transmitting means has transmitted a message. Message reply means for transmitting the reply message received by the reply message receiving means to the information processing terminal managed by the destination / source management means in association with the wireless telephone terminal of the transmission source of the reply message; A communication support system, further comprising: 7. The communication support system according to claim 1, wherein said second message transmitting means includes a message received by said message receiving means, and all the messages specified by said wireless telephone terminal specifying means with respect to said message. As many as the number of wireless telephone terminals, each of these wireless telephone terminals is a destination,
A communication support system for transmitting data to the exchange. 8. The communication support system according to claim 1, wherein the message receiving means is configured such that the information processing terminal connected to the wireless telephone terminal uses the wireless telephone terminal to set a desired area as a destination. A communication support system comprising: receiving, from the exchange, a message transmitted from the wireless telephone terminal by an information processing terminal connected to the wireless telephone terminal when the message can be transmitted to the server. 9. The communication support system according to claim 8, wherein said wireless telephone terminal specifying means is configured to, when a message received by said message receiving means from said exchange is a special message determined in advance. All the wireless telephone terminals existing in the same area as the wireless telephone terminal of the message transmission source are specified based on the position information acquired by the position information acquiring means, and the second message transmitting means comprises: If the message received by the receiving means from the exchange is the special message, the message is transmitted by the number of all the wireless telephone terminals identified by the wireless telephone terminal identifying means for the message. A communication support system, wherein each of the addresses is transmitted to the exchange after the destination. .