JP2000197098A - Position information management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a position information management system where each terminals having a notice function of position information can utilize mutual position information with each other. SOLUTION: Each terminal records respective position information from a plurality of terminals, having a notice function of position information in cross reference with identification information of a terminal of a notice source, records message information sent arbitrarily from a terminal in cross reference with the identification information of the terminal, and transmits at least the position information and the message information of itself, in response to a request from a terminal. Thus, each terminal can share the position information and the message information of itself with other terminals, while utilizing the information mutually. The system has possibilities for diversified usages different from a conventional system, in comparison to the case where a current position of a PHS terminal is served unilaterally to other terminals.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a location information management device, and more particularly, to a PHS having a location information notification function.
(Personal handy-phone system) terminals and GPS (globa
l Positioning system) The present invention relates to a position information management device that keeps track of the current position of a person carrying a terminal or the like from moment to moment, and provides information on the current position to another terminal in response to a request from another terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Position information (latitude / longitude) on the earth is highly accurate (1
00m) is a representative terminal having a function of notifying location information, but a PHS, which is a small-zone mobile communication terminal, has a small radius of one zone (also referred to as a cell) of several hundred meters. Since the current position can be ascertained with the accuracy of the size of the zone to which it belongs, by notifying the zone information, it can be used as a fine position information notification terminal.

FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram of a small-zone mobile communication system, where 1 is a service area and 2 is a zone. A base station 3 is provided at the center of each zone.
The HS terminal 4 sequentially exchanges control information with the nearest base station 3, and a control radio station (not shown) that controls the base station 3 always grasps the current position (zone position) of each PHS terminal 4. I do. For example, when a specific PHS terminal 4 is called via the public telephone network, the control radio station specifies the nearest base station 3 from the current position of the PHS terminal 4 and the PHS via the base station 3. The terminal 4 is called.

The location information providing service utilizes the characteristics of the small zone system. As shown in FIG. 13, the current location of a PHS terminal 5 having a location information notification function (centering on the nearest base station 6) is used. PHS via the PHS network 7
A PHS that has been grasped by the center 8 and has been re-edited to the terminal 10 in an easy-to-understand manner when there is a request for providing position information from another terminal 10 via the public line network 9 or the like.
The current position information of the terminal 5 is notified.

[0005] For example, on the position information request screen as shown in FIG. 14, the telephone number 11 of the PHS terminal 5 whose position is desired to be known.
When the user inputs the pre-assigned password 12 and presses the search button 13 to request the PHS center 8, the location information as shown in FIG. In FIG. 15, the PHS targeted for the hatched portion at the center of the map
The current position of the terminal 5. However, this position indicates the center position of the zone to which the PHS terminal 5 belongs (the position of the base station 6) and is strictly different from the position of the PHS terminal 5, but the zone radius is particularly small in an urban area such as a city center. ,
This is a position error that does not hinder practical use.

[0006]

However, the above-described location information providing service unilaterally provides the current location of a specific PHS terminal to another terminal. Although it is suitable for centralized management using terminals installed in the company, it is not possible for sales staff on the go to grasp each other's current location information, so mutual use and sharing of precious location information is necessary. There was a problem that it could not be achieved.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a location information management device that allows terminals having a location information notification function to use each other's location information.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a position information management apparatus which associates each position information notified from a plurality of terminals having a function of notifying the position information with identification information of a terminal of a notification source. First recording means for recording the message information arbitrarily transmitted from the terminal in association with the identification information, and at least position information of each terminal in response to a request from the terminal. Transmitting means for transmitting the message information. A position information management device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the position information management device according to the first aspect, wherein the second recording means is a terminal of a confirmation destination when message information is confirmed by an arbitrary terminal. And the transmitting unit also transmits the recorded information. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium storing a program for realizing the first recording unit, the second recording unit, and the transmitting unit according to the first aspect.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG.
Are PHS terminals (terminals) having a notification function of location information, 2
4 to 27 are the nearest base stations of each PHS terminal, 28 to 31
Is a zone centered on each base station, 32 is a network (including a PHS network and a digital and / or analog public telephone network), and 33 is a server (location information management center). The number (four) of PHS terminals, base stations, and zones is an example.

FIG. 2 shows a PHS terminal 20 (or 21 to 2).
It is an external view of 3), wherein the PHS terminal 20 includes a main body 40,
Antenna 41 attached to this body 40, 160 ×
It comprises a liquid crystal display 42 for monochrome two-tone display of about 64 dots and a flap 43 which can be opened and closed. The flap 43 is provided with a key button group 44 such as keys for inputting telephone numbers and characters and various function keys. I have. In addition,
45 is a speaker for receiving, and 46 is a microphone for transmitting.

FIG. 3 shows a PHS terminal 20 (or 21 to 2).
It is an internal block diagram of 3). In this figure, 50 is a CPU, 51 is a radio wave received by an antenna 41 and demodulated by C.
A communication unit that outputs to the PU 50 and modulates a signal from the CPU 50 and transmits the signal from the antenna 41, 52 is a display unit including the liquid crystal display 42 described above, and 53 is a touch coordinate of a touch panel provided on the screen of the liquid crystal display 42. A touch panel input unit for detection, 54 is a key input unit including the key button group 44 described above, 55 is a voice input / output unit including the speaker 45 and the microphone 46, and 56 is a PHS
A ROM that stores various programs and data necessary for the operation of the terminal 20, a RAM 57 used as a working memory of the CPU 50, and a bus 58 that connects each unit.

FIG. 4 is an internal block diagram of the server 33. In this figure, 60 is a CPU (transmission means), 61
Is RA used as a working memory of the CPU 60.
M and 62 are a first storage unit storing various programs and data necessary for the operation of the server 33, 63 is a second storage unit storing a database including a member table and a message table described later, and 64 is a connection with the network 32. A communication unit control (transmission unit) 65 for controlling communication, an audio reproduction unit (transmission unit) 65 for reproducing message information in a message table described later, and a bus 66 for connecting each unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing the structure of a member table (first storage means) 70 provided inside the second storage section 66. The member table 70 has a member field 70a for storing identification information of group members (name, nickname, etc .; "A", "B", "C", "D" in the figure) for convenience. Phone number field 7 for storing the registration number of the PHS terminal
0b and the latest zone position information sequentially notified from the PHS terminal carried by each member (in the figure, rough information such as “Minato-ku Shiba” and “Chuo-ku Ginza” for convenience) Has a current location field 70c which stores detailed information up to the address.
1, R2, R3, R4,...

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing the structure of a message table (second storage means) 71 provided inside the second storage section 66. This message table 71
An ID field 71a for table relation associated with the identification information of the group member, a message field 71b for storing the message information input by the PHS terminal carried by each member, input position information of the message (for the PHS terminal that has input the message, An input place field 71c for storing the zone position information), a confirmer field 71d for storing the message confirmer (identification information of the member who has confirmed the message), and the confirmation position information of the message (the zone position of the PHS terminal that has confirmed the message) ) Having a confirmation place field 70e for storing information (information).

The illustrated member table 70 and message table 71 include member identification information (“A”,
The relation is represented by “B”...), But this is for convenience of explanation. According to the concept of the relational database, the relation information must be unique (unique) and unchangeable information, and in this regard, the identification information of the same name or a member that may be changed is inappropriate. . Preferably, a mechanically generated serial number (a value in a count format) should be adopted, but any information that does not overlap and does not change is sufficient. The “terminal identification information” described in the summary of the invention refers to any information corresponding to such a condition (without duplication and no change),
It does not limit specific information (for example, a registration number of the PHS terminal).

When the contents of the member table 70 and the message table 71 are arranged, the identification information (for example, "A") of each member is stored in the member field 70a of the member table 70, and the PHS carried by each member is stored.
The registration number of the terminal (for example, “050-111-222
2 ”) is stored in the telephone number field 70b of the member table 70, and the current position of the PHS terminal (for example,“ Minato-ku Shiba ”) is stored in the current location field 70c of the member table 70.

The message information input by each member (for example, "I drink with OO") is stored in a relation record of the message table 71 (identification information of the member who input the message is stored in an ID field 71a).
Is stored in the message field 71b of the record; for example, R1), and the input location information (for example, "Minato-ku Shiba") of the message is stored in the input location field 71c of the record.

Further, the identification information (for example, "B") of the confirmer of the message and information of the confirmation place (for example, "Ginza", Chuo-ku) are stored in the confirmer field 71d and the confirmation place field 71e of the same record. .

The information stored in the current location field 70c, the input location field 71c and the confirmed location field 71e is the zone information of the nearest base station, and this information itself is merely code information, Since it is not easy-to-understand location information such as a street address, a separate map information or address book database is provided, and replaced with easy-to-understand location information (for example, “Minato-ku Shiba”) by comparing with this database. Field 70c,
71c and 71e.

FIG. 7 shows, for example, the P carried by the member D.
FIG. 7 is a display state diagram of a location information service menu (“group service menu” in the figure) in the HS terminal 20. In this figure, 73 is a menu title, 74 is a position confirmation button, 75 is a message input button, and 76 is a service end button. When the position confirmation button 74 is pressed, the server 33 is accessed to display the position information of all the groups in a list in a predetermined format. When the message input button 75 is pressed, an arbitrary voice message is sent to the server 33. Can be registered.
Note that the message is not limited to voice. It may be key-input text data.

FIG. 8 shows, for example, a P carried by a member D.
FIG. 7 is a display state diagram of a position information list in the HS terminal 20. In this figure, reference numeral 77 denotes a list box showing the current position of all members including the person ("D"), the presence or absence of a message (presence: white star), and the input location of the message.

According to the list box 77, for example, the current location of the member A is "Minato-ku Shiba", the input message of the member A is "Yes", and the input location of the message is "Minato-ku Shiba". You can see at a glance. Member A
When the user touches the star of the input message, the content of the message (“I am drinking with XX”; see R1 in FIG. 6) can be reproduced and heard. By pressing the confirmation button 79, the identification information of the confirmer and the information of the confirmation place can be registered in the server 33, or by pressing the reply button 78, a reply message can be registered in the server 33. it can. Note that the star filled in black represents the message of the person, and the character next to it (“C” in the figure) represents the identification information of the person confirming the message.

FIG. 9 is an operation flowchart when the message input button 75 is pressed on the location information service menu of the PHS terminal 20. In this figure, when a message input button 75 is pressed, a message input request is transmitted to the server 33 (SP1), and the server 33 acquires the current position information of the request source and updates the current position field 70c of the member table 70. (SS1), and transmits a preparation OK message (SS2). Upon receiving the OK message (YES determination in SP2), the requesting PHS terminal 20 performs a notification prompting the input of the message, and transmits the voice-input message information to the server 33 in response to the notification (SP3). To end the process,
The server 33 stores the received message information, the identification information of the message input person, and the input location information of the message in the corresponding fields of the message table 71 (SS3), and ends the process.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are operation flowcharts when the position confirmation button 74 is pressed on the position information service menu of the PHS terminal 20. In this figure, when the position confirmation button 74 is pressed, a position confirmation request for all members of the group is transmitted to the server 33 (SP10).
3 specifies the belonging group (SS10) and extracts identification information, current location information, message presence / absence information, message input location information, etc. of all the belonging groups (SS1).
1), edit it into a predetermined format and send it to the PHS terminal 20 that made the request (SS12). The PHS terminal 20 displays the received information in a list (see FIG. 8), and executes the following processing when the white star in the list is touched (YES in SP12).

First, the server 33 requests a corresponding message from the server 33 (SP13), and the server 33 calls up the corresponding message information from the message field 71b of the message table 71 and reproduces the voice by the voice reproducing unit 65. The information is transmitted to the requesting PHS terminal 20 (SS14). The PHS terminal 20 outputs the received audio information from the speaker 45 via the audio input / output unit 55 (S
P14) Then, when the confirmation button 79 is pressed (SP
When the answer button 78 is pressed (YES in SP17), the reply message information input by voice is sent to the server 33 (SP18). ) And end the processing.

When the server 33 receives the confirmation signal (S
(YES in S15), the identification information of the confirmer and the information of the confirmation place are stored in the corresponding record of the message table 71 (SS16), or when a reply message is received (YES in SS17), the message table 71 is determined.
, Add a new record in which the respondent ’s identity,
The reply message information and the input location information of the message are stored (SS18), and the process is terminated.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the server 33 can grasp the information on the current position of each PHS terminal, and can also check the message information input from each PHS terminal, the information of the input person and the input position. The information can be grasped, and the information of the person who confirms the message and the information of the confirmation position can be grasped.
The unique effect of being able to freely distribute in response to a request from the S terminal is obtained.

Therefore, as compared with the limited location information providing service in which the location information of a certain PHS terminal can be known only by a specific terminal as in the related art, the location information and the like are remarkably used and shared. For example, because
It is possible to seek out various usages among salesmen on the road, and to realize an extremely convenient location information providing service.

For example, the message of member A (“XX
I'm drinking at The input position of ")) is" Minato-ku Shiba ".
Since the location information and the current location (“Minato-ku Shiba”) are the same, it can be inferred that the member A is still sitting at “XX”, and the other members respond to the message. If (for example, member B) confirms near “Minato-ku Shiba”, member A looks at the information of the confirmer and the confirmation position, and says “Maybe B may come”. Can be predicted. In addition, it is possible to know the approximate waiting time based on the distance from the confirmation position.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG.
C's reply message ("I'll take it") to the message
, It is possible to simply know that the request of the member D has been transmitted, and furthermore, the input place (“Shinjuku-ku”) of the reply message of the member C, the address of the company and the address of the document delivery destination (“×× )), You can predict when it will be delivered.

The above examples of use are merely examples. The important point is that all the members of the group can share the information on the input location of the message, the information on the input location of the confirmation message, and the information on the input location of the reply message together with the information on the current location of each member. By sharing such information, it is possible to devise various uses other than the above examples, and it is possible to search for advanced uses that are not available in the conventional location information providing service.

In the above description, a PHS terminal is taken as an example, but any terminal having a function of notifying location information may be used.
For example, a mobile phone or a mobile phone that employs a similar small zone system although the zone is wider than that of the PHS may be used, or, of course, a GPS terminal may be used.

Further, the main functions (the first recording means, the second recording means, the transmitting means, etc.) of the above embodiment are hardware resources including a microcomputer and software such as an operating system (OS) and various programs. Although it is functionally realized by organic coupling with assets, general-purpose hardware assets can be used. Therefore, essential items indispensable to the present invention are substantially OS and various programs. It can be said that it is concentrated in. Therefore, the present invention
And all or various parts of various programs are stored,
It includes recording media such as floppy disks, MOs, CDs, hard disks, semiconductor memories, and the like (including not only those that are on a distribution channel itself but also those that provide only recorded contents on a network).

[0034]

According to the present invention, each piece of position information notified from a plurality of terminals having the function of notifying position information is recorded in association with the identification information of the terminal of the notification source, and is arbitrarily transmitted from the terminal. Message information is recorded in association with the identification information, and at least the location information and the message information of each terminal are transmitted in response to a request from the terminal. Can be shared while using each other, and a much wider variety of uses is sought, compared to the one that unilaterally provides the current location of a specific PHS terminal to other terminals, such as the conventional location information service. A special effect of being able to do so can be obtained. Furthermore, when the message information is confirmed by an arbitrary terminal, the identification information of the terminal to be confirmed and the position information of the terminal to be confirmed are recorded, and if the recorded information is also transmitted, the shared information can be transmitted. Can be more abundant,
How to use can be enhanced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a network configuration according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an external view of a PHS terminal.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a PHS terminal.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a server.

FIG. 5 is a structural diagram of a member table.

FIG. 6 is a structural diagram of a message table.

FIG. 7 is a display state diagram of a menu screen.

FIG. 8 is a display state diagram of a position information screen.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a message input process.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a position information confirmation process (1/1).
2).

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a position information confirmation process (2 /
2).

FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram of a small zone system.

FIG. 13 is a network configuration diagram of a conventional location information providing service.

FIG. 14 is a display state diagram of a conventional search designation screen.

FIG. 15 is a display state diagram of a conventional search result screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20-23 PHS terminal (terminal) 60 CPU (transmitting means) 64 Communication control unit (transmitting means) 65 Audio reproducing unit (transmitting means) 70 Member table (first recording means) 71 Message table (second recording means)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A first recording means for recording each position information notified from a plurality of terminals having a function of notifying position information in association with identification information of a terminal of a notification source, and a message arbitrarily transmitted from the terminal. A second recording unit for recording information in association with the identification information; and a transmitting unit for transmitting at least positional information and message information of each terminal in response to a request from the terminal. Information management device. 2. When the message information is confirmed by an arbitrary terminal, the second recording means records identification information of the terminal to be confirmed and position information of the terminal to be confirmed, and the transmitting means comprises: 2. The position information management device according to claim 1, wherein said record information is also transmitted. 3. A recording medium storing a program for realizing the first recording means, the second recording means, and the transmitting means according to claim 1.