JP2001320506A - Data transmission system and server and terminal adapter for use in this system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate special operation for transmission/reception at the time of data transmission/reception and to prevent traffic concentration to a server. SOLUTION: A data transmission system is provided with the server and a terminal adapter which can transmit data to each other, and the server accesses the terminal adapter at a preliminarily set transmission time and confirms the indication of transmission of a first data to the terminal adapter and the indication of reception of second data from the terminal adapter and performs transmission of the first data to the terminal adapter and reception of the second data from the terminal adapter.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data transmission system including a server and at least one terminal adapter interconnected with the server via a network, for performing data transmission between the servers, and a data transmission system for the same Related to servers and terminal adapters used for

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the spread of the Internet, various data transmission techniques using the Internet have been developed. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
There is disclosed a configuration in which when an electronic mail server receives an electronic mail, the electronic mail is automatically delivered to the destination of the electronic mail.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-124938 discloses a data transmission technique using polling.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-1460
In the configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11 (1999), an e-mail is automatically delivered from an e-mail server to a communication terminal. To send an e-mail to the e-mail server,
It is necessary to carry out dialing and other outgoing operations. Further, since the mail sender can freely send the mail, there is a possibility that the mail is concentrated on the e-mail server at a specific time.

In the configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-124938, it is necessary for a user to perform a dialing-up operation or the like by himself.

[0006] Further, when the terminal adapter is connected to a telephone line and installed in a home, the installation place of the terminal adapter is limited to a range where the telephone line can reach. Therefore, when the user uses the data transmission system, the user needs to go to the place where the terminal adapter is installed. Further, there is a difficulty in convenience when confirming the information reception state of the device or when a young user or a senior user operates the device.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to eliminate the need to perform any special operation for transmitting and receiving data, and to concentrate traffic on a server. An object of the present invention is to provide a data transmission system capable of preventing such a situation, and a server and a terminal adapter used in the data transmission system.

[0008]

A data transmission system according to the present invention is a data transmission system having a server and a terminal adapter capable of mutually transmitting data, wherein the server transmits the data at a preset transmission time. Access the terminal adapter and connect to the first
Confirming the instruction to transmit the data and the instruction to receive the second data from the terminal adapter, transmitting the first data to the terminal adapter, and receiving the second data from the terminal adapter. Characterized by
Thereby, the above object is achieved.

In the terminal adapter, a recording medium is detachable, and an instruction to transmit the first data and an instruction to receive the second data are issued in accordance with the state of attachment and detachment of the recording medium. You may.

[0010] The transmission time may be set based on data traffic of the server.

A data transmission system according to the present invention is a data transmission system having a server capable of mutually transmitting data and a plurality of terminal adapters.
At different calling times set in advance for each terminal adapter, each terminal adapter is accessed, an instruction to transmit first data to each terminal adapter, and an instruction to receive second data from each terminal adapter. Confirming the instruction, transmitting the first data to each of the terminal adapters, and receiving the second data from each of the terminal adapters, thereby achieving the above object.

A data transmission system according to the present invention is a data transmission system having a server and a terminal adapter capable of mutually transmitting data, wherein the terminal adapter accesses the server at a preset transmission time, Confirming an instruction to transmit the first data to the server and an instruction to receive the second data from the server, transmitting the first data to the server and transmitting the second data from the server Receiving, whereby the above object is achieved.

The terminal adapter has a wireless communication function, and confirms an instruction to transmit first data to the server and an instruction to receive second data from the server via wireless communication. The first data may be sent to a server and the second data may be received from the server.

A terminal adapter according to the present invention is a terminal adapter capable of mutually transmitting and receiving data to and from a server, and having a detachable recording medium. Accessing the server, confirming an instruction to transmit first data to the server and an instruction to receive second data from the server, transmitting the first data to the server, and The second data is received, thereby achieving the above object.

The terminal adapter has a wireless communication function, and confirms an instruction to transmit first data to the server and an instruction to receive second data from the server via wireless communication. The first data may be sent to a server and the second data may be received from the server.

[0016] The transmission time and the address of the server may be set in advance, and the server may be accessed based on the transmission time and the address.

[0017] The transmission time and the address of the server may be set in advance on the recording medium, and the server may be accessed based on the transmission time and the address of the server.

[0018] The transmission time may be set by accessing the server.

[0019] The address of the server may be set in advance so as to automatically access the server to which the transmission time is set.

A server according to the present invention is a server capable of mutually transmitting data to and from a terminal adapter, accessing the terminal adapter at a preset transmission time, and transmitting the first data to the terminal adapter. Confirming the instruction and the instruction to receive the second data from the terminal adapter,
Data from the terminal adapter and the second
And the above-mentioned object is achieved.

[0021]

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

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a data transmission system 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The data transmission system 100 includes a server 110 and at least one terminal adapter (T) interconnected with the server 110 via the Internet 31 and the telephone line 32.
A) 120. The server 110 is provided, for example, at a collection and distribution center that collects and distributes data. Each terminal adapter 120 is provided in each home or the like, and is connected to the Internet 31 by a telephone line 32. Each terminal adapter 120 has a recording medium 30 such as a memory cartridge or a memory card which is detachable. The recording medium 30 is also detachable from a data input / output device 33 having a data input / output function. The data input / output device 33 is, for example, a portable game machine, an AV device, an information communication device, a bidirectional remote controller, or the like.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the data transmission system 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention more specifically. The server 110 includes a user data management unit 111 and an automatic distribution unit 1
12 are provided. The user data management unit 111 manages a telephone number of the telephone line 32, which is an address of each terminal adapter 120 connected via the Internet 31 and the telephone line 32, and / or a user ID for identifying a user of each terminal adapter 120. I do.
The automatic distribution unit 112 automatically distributes data to each terminal adapter 120 according to a transmission time schedule in which transmission times are set.

Each terminal adapter 120 includes a microcomputer 121, a memory 122, an interface 123
, An indicator 124, an LCU 125, and a modem (DSP) 126.

The microcomputer 121 controls a memory 122, an interface 123, an indicator 124, and a modem 126.

The memory 122 includes the terminal adapter 12
Data such as a user ID for specifying a user who uses 0 is stored.

The interface 123 is an interface for connecting the terminal adapter 120 and the recording medium 30.

The indicator 124 is an LED that lights up to indicate that data is being transmitted from the server 110.
Etc. are indicators.

The LCU 125 can be connected to a telephone, a facsimile or the like.

The modem (DSP) 126 is connected to the telephone line 32
Is connected via an LCU 125.

The recording medium 30 includes an interface 36
And a memory 35 for storing data.

The interface 36 is connected to the interface 123 of the terminal adapter 120. The memory 35 is connected to the interface 31.

The terminal adapter 120 is connected to the recording medium 3
0 is detected as being mounted. For example, when the recording medium 30 is mounted on the terminal adapter 120 and the interface 36 is electrically connected to the interface 123, a predetermined signal is output to the microcomputer 121. Further, the terminal adapter 120 may mechanically detect that the recording medium 30 is attached to the terminal adapter 120 and output a predetermined signal to the microcomputer 121.

The center polling performed by the data transmission system 100 having such a configuration from the server 110 to each terminal adapter 120 will be described.

In the data transmission system 100 of the present invention,
The terminal adapter 120 detects the attachment / detachment of the recording medium 30, and transmits data between the server 110 and the terminal adapter 120.

FIG. 3 shows the operation of the server 110 of the data transmission system 100 when performing center polling. The server 110 performs steps S1 to S18.
Execute

The server 110 refers to the transmission management time schedule provided in the automatic distribution unit 112 (see step S1 in FIG. 3, the same applies hereinafter). When the transmission time set in the transmission management time schedule comes (step S
2) The server 110 automatically sends a telephone number, which is the address of the terminal adapter 120, and automatically accesses the terminal adapter 120 (step S).
3).

The telephone number for accessing the terminal adapter 120 is the terminal adapter 12
0 as a user ID unique to the recording medium 30 attached to
It is registered in the server 110 in advance.

The server 110 determines whether or not a predetermined terminal adapter 120 can be accessed (step S4). If the terminal cannot be accessed, the telephone number corresponding to the terminal adapter 120 is set to a predetermined number N.
The call is transmitted, and access to the terminal adapter 120 is repeated (step S5). When re-transmitting the telephone number, the time interval for re-transmitting may be appropriately set by a timer (step S6). When the transmission time comes (step S2), the telephone number is redialed (step S2).
3). Then, if the predetermined terminal adapter 120 cannot be accessed even after repeating the retransmission for N times set in advance, the server 110 ends the control for transmission as an error (step S).
7).

The server 110 is connected to the terminal adapter 12
0 when a recording medium mounting signal is received (step S
8) Check whether the recording medium 30 is mounted on the terminal adapter 120 (step S9). Upon receiving the recording medium error signal from the terminal adapter 120 (step S8), the server 110 recognizes that the recording medium 30 is not mounted on the terminal adapter 120 (step S9). When the server 110 confirms that the recording medium 30 is not mounted on the terminal adapter 120, once the connection of the telephone line with the terminal adapter 120 is canceled (step S10), the telephone number of the terminal adapter 120 is changed to The call is re-transmitted over a preset number N (step S5).

The server 110 is connected to the terminal adapter 12
When it is confirmed that the recording medium 30 is mounted at 0 (step S9), if the terminal adapter 120 has a user ID, the user ID is authenticated (step S11).

User ID of terminal adapter 120
Does not match the user ID registered in advance in the user data management unit 111 of the server 110, the server 110 transmits an authentication error to the terminal adapter 120 (step S12). Then, the user data managed by the user data management unit 111 is updated, and the time when a predetermined terminal adapter 120 was accessed, the fact that the user could not be authenticated, and the like are recorded (step S1).
6).

If the user ID of terminal adapter 120 is authenticated, server 110 determines that there is an instruction to transmit data to terminal adapter 120 and that terminal adapter 120 has an instruction to transmit data to server 110. It is confirmed that it exists (step S13). If the server 110 has data to be transmitted to the terminal adapter 120, the server 11
0 transmits the data to the terminal adapter 120, and the terminal adapter 120 transmits the data to the server 110.
If there is data to be transmitted to the terminal adapter 120, the data is transmitted to the terminal adapter 120 (step S1).
4).

Thereafter, the server 110 confirms that the data has been transmitted and received normally (step S15), updates the user data managed by the user data management unit 111, and accesses the predetermined terminal adapter 120. The time, data transmission / reception execution, and the like are recorded (step S16).

If the data is not transmitted / received normally, the server 110 notifies the terminal adapter 120 of the transmission / reception error (step S17), and updates the user data managed by the user data management unit 111. In addition, the access time to the predetermined terminal adapter 120 and the fact that the data transmission / reception has an error are recorded (step S16).

The server 110 has a user data management unit 11
When the user data recorded in 1 is updated, the connection of the terminal adapter 120 to the telephone line 32 is disconnected (step S18), and the control is terminated.

FIG. 4 shows the operation of the terminal adapter 120 of the data transmission system 100 when performing center polling.

When the server 110 accesses a predetermined terminal adapter 120, the terminal adapter 120
Performs steps S21 to S33 shown in FIG.

The terminal adapter 120 is connected to the server 11
When the transmission of the telephone number from 0 is detected (step S2)
1) It is confirmed whether or not it is connected to the server 110 (step S22). If the terminal adapter 120 is not connected to the server 110,
The terminal adapter 120 ends the control (Step S23).

The terminal adapter 120 is connected to the server 11
0, the terminal adapter 120 checks whether the recording medium 30 is attached to the terminal adapter 120 (step S2).
4). If the recording medium 30 is not attached to the terminal adapter 120, a recording medium error signal is transmitted to the server 110 (step S25), and the terminal adapter 120 waits until the server 110 terminates the telephone line connection. State.

On the other hand, when the recording medium 30 is attached to the terminal adapter 120, the terminal adapter 120 transmits a recording medium attachment signal indicating that the recording medium 30 is attached to the server 110. (Step S26).

The terminal adapter 120 is connected to the server 11
From 0, it is determined whether or not the user ID has been authenticated based on whether or not an authentication error has been transmitted (step S2).
7). When the terminal adapter 120 authenticates the user ID, the terminal adapter 120 checks whether there is data to be transmitted to the server 110 in the memory 35 of the recording medium 30 and determines whether data transmitted from the server 110 exists. Confirmation (step S2)
8).

The server 110 is stored in the memory 35 of the recording medium 30.
If there is data to be transmitted to the terminal 3, the terminal adapter 120 stores the data in the memory 3 of the recording medium 30.
5 and sends it to the server 110,
If there is data to be transmitted from 0, the server 1
The data is received from 10 (step S29).

After that, the terminal adapter 120 confirms that the data transmission / reception has been normally performed (step S30), and writes the data received by the terminal adapter 120 into the memory 35 of the recording medium 30 while also displaying the indicator. 124 is turned on (step S
31). Thereafter, the connection of the telephone line 32 to the terminal adapter 120 is canceled by the server 110 in the terminal adapter 120 (step S32).

If data has not been transmitted / received normally (step S30), the terminal adapter 12
0 notifies the server 110 of a transmission / reception error (step S33). After the server 110 updates the user data (step S16 in FIG. 3), the terminal adapter 1
20 is a terminal adapter 1 by the server 110.
The connection of the telephone line 32 to 20 is canceled (step S32).

When the indicator 24 of the terminal adapter 120 is on, the user of the terminal adapter 120 can confirm that data has been transmitted from the server 110. And terminal adapter 1
After confirming that the data has been transmitted from the server 110, the user 20 attaches the recording medium 30 attached to the terminal adapter 120 to the input / output device 33, and transmits the data from the server 110 and writes the data into the memory 35. Read the data.

When the user transmits data of the input / output device 33 to the server 110, the user first attaches the recording medium 30 to the input / output device 33,
Writes data of the input / output device 33 into the memory 35 of the recording medium 30. Next, the user attaches the recording medium 30 to the terminal adapter 120. When data is transmitted from the server 110 to the terminal adapter 120 at the transmission time, the server 110
The server 110 reads the data of the input / output device 33 from the memory 35 of the recording medium 30 attached to the “0”, and receives the data of the input / output device 33 from the terminal adapter 120.

In any case, the terminal adapter 12
The detection of the attachment of the recording medium 30 by 0 is an instruction for data transmission and reception. Therefore, the data transmission / reception instruction is performed only by attaching the recording medium 30 to the terminal adapter 120. Therefore, data is automatically transmitted and received between the server 110 and the terminal adapter 120 without the user having to perform an operation to connect the terminal adapter 120 to the telephone line 32.

In the first embodiment, the server 110
The transmission management time schedule provided in the user data management unit 111 is appropriately changed every predetermined period such as one week or one month. For example, the time may be changed based on the user data recorded in the user data management unit 111 so that the transmission time to each terminal adapter 120 is dispersed in a time zone when the traffic of the server 110 is small. If the transmission time to each terminal adapter 120 is dispersed, the server 110
Traffic is leveled. When the calling time is set in a time zone where the usage fee of the telephone line 32 is low, the usage fee of the telephone line can be suppressed to a low amount.

From the server 110 to each terminal adapter 1
The data transmitted to 20 is not particularly limited. For example, when the recording medium 30 is a dedicated cassette for a portable game machine that is the data input / output device 33, data relating to the content of the portable game machine is transmitted. Also,
Various data according to the user's age group, preference, and the like may also be transmitted.

For example, when the user of the portable game machine mounts the game cassette, which is the recording medium 30, on the terminal adapter 120, the server 110 sends the recording medium 30 mounted on the terminal adapter 120 to the game cassette. May be authenticated, and data related to the character of the game, data related to the game, and the like may be transmitted. In this case, the data to be transmitted is stored in the game cassette.

Further, server 110 may be an electronic mail server using the Internet.

For example, when the terminal adapters 120 of a plurality of users are connected to an electronic mail server as the server 110, the recording medium 30 in which a predetermined mail address and mail are written is mounted on the terminal adapter 120. Then, the server 110 reads the mail address and transmits the mail to the terminal adapter 120 of the mail address. In this case, it is necessary that another recording medium 30 is mounted on another terminal adapter 120 to be transmitted.

Further, based on the user data registered in advance, a specific terminal adapter 1 is transmitted from the server 110.
20, a message can also be sent. For example,
If the birthday of the user is registered in the server 110, if the server 110 is set to transmit a birthday message to the terminal adapter 120 of the user, the terminal of the user is registered on the birthday of the user. A birthday message will be sent to the adapter 120. Then, the message is recorded on the recording medium 30 attached to the terminal adapter 120 of the user.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 5 shows a configuration of a data transmission system 200 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

The configuration of the server 210 is the same as the configuration of the server 110 of the first embodiment except for the transmission time distribution unit 213.

The transmission time distribution section 213 allocates the transmission time at which each terminal adapter 220 transmits data to each terminal adapter 220.

The configuration of each terminal adapter 220 is the same as the configuration of the terminal adapter 120 of the first embodiment except for the timer 221a provided in the microcomputer 221.

The configuration of the recording medium 30 is the same as the configuration of the recording medium 30 of the first embodiment.

An automatic call from each terminal adapter 220 to the server 210 by the data transmission system 200 having such a configuration will be described below.

In the data transmission system 200 of the present invention,
When each terminal adapter 220 accesses the server 210 for the first time, the outgoing time schedule is transmitted from the server 210 to the terminal adapter 220 and registered. After the transmission time schedule is registered, data is transmitted between the server 210 and the terminal adapter 220.

FIG. 6 shows the operation of the terminal adapter 220 of the data transmission system 200 when registering the transmission time schedule. Terminal adapter 220
Executes steps S41 to S58.

In the memory 222 of the terminal adapter 220, a transmission time, which is a time for accessing a predetermined server 210, is set in advance. When accessing the server 210, the user records user profile data on the recording medium 30 attached to the terminal adapter 220 in advance. User profile data includes the user's name, age, phone number,
Other data related to the attributes of the user. As described above, a user ID unique to the recording medium 30 attached to the terminal adapter 220 is registered in the server 210 in advance.

The user connects to the terminal adapter 220
The recording medium 30 on which the user profile information is recorded is mounted (see step S41 in FIG. 6). The terminal adapter 220 checks whether or not the recording medium 30 on which the user profile data is recorded is mounted when a predetermined transmission time set in advance (Step S42) is reached (Step S43). If the recording medium 30 is not mounted on the terminal adapter 220, the terminal adapter 220 ends the control.

The recording medium 30 is connected to the terminal adapter 220.
Is confirmed (step S4).
3) Automatically access the telephone line 32 connected to the predetermined server 210 (step S44). Note that the telephone number of the telephone line 32 is
Is set at the time of shipment or sale.

The terminal adapter 220 is connected to the server 210
Is confirmed (step S45),
The user profile data recorded on the recording medium 30 is transmitted to the server 210 together with the user ID (Step S46).

The terminal adapter 220 to the server 21
0 cannot be accessed (step S
45) The telephone number for the terminal adapter 220 is transmitted for a preset number N, and the server 210 is accessed again (step S47). When retransmitting the telephone number, the time interval for retransmitting is appropriately set by a timer (step S48), and when the set transmission time comes (step S42), whether or not the recording medium 30 is attached to the terminal adapter 220 is determined. Is confirmed (step S43), and the telephone number is re-transmitted.
If the server 210 cannot be accessed even after repeating the re-transmission for a preset number of N times, the terminal adapter 22 is notified as an access error.
0 is terminated (step S49).

When the user profile data recorded on the recording medium 30 is transmitted to the server 210 together with the user ID (step S46), the terminal adapter 220 confirms that the user profile data has been normally transmitted to the server 210. (Step S50). If the user profile data has not been transmitted normally, the terminal adapter 220 notifies the server 210 of a transmission error (step S51). When the transmission error is notified to the server 210, the terminal adapter 220
The registration of the telephone number and the transmission time schedule of the access point set in the incomplete status is registered according to the user ID (step S56). further,
Not being registered in the memory 35 of the recording medium 30
It is registered according to the user ID (step S57).

Although not shown, the server 210 performs authentication of the transmitted user ID, and if the user ID does not match the user ID registered in advance, notifies the terminal adapter 220 of an authentication error, and notifies the terminal adapter 220 of the authentication error.
The registration of the telephone number and outgoing time schedule of the access point set in is not completed, and
The fact that the registration has not been completed in the memory 35 of the recording medium 30
Each is registered according to the user ID.

If the user profile data has been normally transmitted, the terminal adapter 220 receives the telephone number of the nearest access point and the transmission time schedule transmitted from the server 210 (step S52). The terminal adapter 220 checks whether or not the reception has been normally performed (step S53). If the reception is normal, the terminal adapter 220 registers the telephone number of the access point and the transmission time schedule in the memory 222 of the terminal adapter 220 (Step S54). And the terminal adapter 220
The telephone number of the access point and the transmission time schedule are written in the memory 35 of the recording medium 30 attached to the terminal adapter 220 (step S5).
7).

If the telephone number of the nearest access point and the transmission time schedule transmitted from the server 210 are not normally received, a reception error is notified to the server 210 (step S55), and the memory of the terminal adapter 220 is stored. In 222, it is recorded that the registration of the telephone number of the access point and the transmission time schedule has not been completed (step S56). Next, the terminal adapter 220 writes that the registration has not been completed in the memory 35 of the recording medium 30 attached to the terminal adapter 220 (Step S57). Thereafter, the terminal adapter 220 releases the connection of the telephone line (Step S58).

FIG. 7 shows the operation of the server 210 of the data transmission system 200 when registering the transmission time schedule. The server 210 executes steps S61 to S72.

The server 210 is connected to the terminal adapter 22
When an incoming call is detected by the access from 0 (see step S61 in FIG. 7), it is confirmed that the terminal adapter 220 is connected to the terminal adapter 220 via the telephone line 32 (step S62). Received user profile data (step S
63).

Thereafter, the server 210 checks whether the user profile data has been normally received by the server 210 (step S64). If the user profile data has not been successfully received, the server 210
Registers the received user profile data in accordance with the user ID registered in advance in the user data management unit 211 (step S65). If the user profile data has not been received normally, the server 210 notifies the terminal adapter 220 of a reception error (step S66).

When the user profile data is registered in the user data management section 211 (step S65), the server 210 enters a telephone number, which is an address for accessing the nearest server 210 from the terminal adapter 220, into the terminal adapter. 220. In this case, the server 210 transmits the transmission time schedule management unit 2
An appropriate transmission time set in step 13 is also selected and transmitted to the terminal adapter 220 (step S67).
Then, when the server 210 confirms that these data are transmitted normally (step S68), the telephone number and the transmission time schedule transmitted to the terminal adapter 220 are stored in the user data management unit 211 in advance. The ID is registered (step S69).
Thereafter, the connection of the telephone line is released by the server 210 (step S70).

When the telephone number of the nearest access point and the transmission time schedule are not normally transmitted to the terminal adapter 220 (step S6).
8) The transmission error is notified to the terminal adapter 220 (step S71), and the user data management unit 211 records that the registration of the telephone number of the access point and the transmission time schedule is not completed (step S72).

FIG. 8 shows the operation of the terminal adapter 220 of the data transmission system 200 when performing data transmission. The terminal adapter 220 determines in step S81
Step S94 is executed.

When the telephone number of the nearest access point and the transmission time schedule are registered in the terminal adapter 220, the terminal adapter 220 accesses the server 210 based on the transmission schedule registered in the terminal adapter 220 thereafter. Thus, data transmission is performed between the terminal adapter 220 and the server 210.

The terminal adapter 220 is in a state where the transmission time is recorded by the first access to the predetermined server 210. When it is detected by the timer 221a provided in the microcomputer 221 that the transmission time has come (Step S81 in FIG. 8), the terminal adapter 220 determines whether or not the recording medium 30 is mounted on the terminal adapter 220. Confirm (step S82).

If the recording medium 30 is a terminal adapter 220
If not, the telephone number of the server 210 is transmitted a preset number of times N, and the server 210 is accessed again (step S85). When the telephone number is retransmitted, the time interval for retransmitting is set by the timer 221a of the terminal adapter 220 (step S80). When the transmission time comes, the telephone number is retransmitted and the server 210 is accessed. If the server 210 cannot be accessed even after repeating the re-transmission for a preset number of N times, the terminal adapter 220 generates an error as
The access to the server 210 is terminated (step S8)
6).

If the recording medium 30 is a terminal adapter 220
, The terminal adapter 220
Is automatically called to the server 210,
The access point server 210 is accessed via the telephone line of the telephone number (step S83).

Next, the terminal adapter 220 checks whether the server 210 can be accessed (step S).
84). If the server 210 cannot be accessed from the terminal adapter 220, the telephone number of the server 210 is transmitted for a preset number N, and the server 210 is accessed again (step S85). When the telephone number is retransmitted, the time interval for retransmitting is set by the timer 221a of the terminal adapter 220 (step S80). When the transmission time comes, the telephone number is retransmitted and the server 210 is accessed. If the server 210 cannot be accessed even after repeating the re-transmission for the preset N times, the terminal adapter 220 terminates the access to the server 210 as an error (step S86).

The terminal adapter 220 is connected to the server 210
Is confirmed (step S84), the terminal adapter 220 transmits the user ID of the recording medium 30.
Is transmitted to the server 210 (step S87).

The terminal adapter 220 is connected to the server 21
Whether or not the user ID has been authenticated is confirmed based on whether or not an authentication error is transmitted from 0 (step S88). When the user ID is authenticated, the terminal adapter 2
20 checks whether or not the recording medium 30 has data to be transmitted to the server 210,
It is checked whether there is data transmitted from 0 (step S89).

If data to be transmitted to the server 210 exists in the recording medium 30, the data is transferred to the recording medium 2
30 is read from the memory 35 and transmitted to the server 210. If there is data transmitted from the server 210 at the time of this transmission, the terminal adapter 220 receives the data (step S90).

Thereafter, the terminal adapter 220 checks whether the data transmission / reception has been normally performed (step S91). If the data transmission / reception has been normally performed, the terminal adapter 220 writes the received data into the memory 35 of the recording medium 30 and turns on the indicator 224 (step S92). afterwards,
The terminal adapter 220 cancels the connection of the telephone line 32 (Step S93).

If the data transmission / reception is not normally performed (step S91), a transmission / reception error is notified to the server 210 (step S9).
4).

FIG. 9 shows the operation of the server 210 of the data transmission system 200 when performing data transmission. The server 210 executes steps S101 to S111.

The server 210 is connected to the terminal adapter 22
Based on the 0 access, the presence or absence of an incoming call is detected (see step S101 in FIG. 9). If an incoming call is detected, the server 210 checks whether or not the server 210 is connected to the terminal adapter 220 via the telephone line 32 (step S102). If connected, server 210
Receives the user ID of the recording medium 30 transmitted from the terminal adapter 220 (step S103). Then, authentication of the received user ID is performed (step S104).

User ID of terminal adapter 220
Does not match the user ID registered in advance in the user data management unit 211 of the server 210, the server 210 notifies the terminal adapter 220 of an authentication error (step S105). And the server 210
Updates the user data managed by the user data management unit 211, and records the access time from the terminal adapter 220, the fact that the user could not be authenticated, and the like (step S109).

User ID of terminal adapter 220
Is the same as the user ID registered in advance in the user data management unit 211 of the server 210,
10 indicates that there is an instruction to transmit data to the terminal adapter 220 and that the terminal adapter 22
It is confirmed that there is an instruction to transmit data to the server 210 at 0 (step S106). If the terminal adapter 220 has data to be transmitted to the server 210, the terminal adapter 220 transmits the data to the server 210, and if the server 210 has data to be transmitted to the terminal adapter 220, When data is transmitted from the terminal adapter 220, the terminal adapter 220 receives the data transmitted from the server 210 (Step S107).

Thereafter, the server 210 checks whether the data has been transmitted / received normally (step S108).
When the data is transmitted / received normally, the user data managed by the user data management unit 211 is updated, and the access time from the terminal adapter 220 of the user ID,
The fact that data transmission / reception has been performed is recorded (step S109).

If the data is not transmitted / received normally, a transmission / reception error is notified to the terminal adapter 220 (step S110), the user data managed by the user data management unit 211 is updated, and a predetermined terminal adapter is updated. The data transmission / reception error is recorded together with the access time to the 220 (step S109).

When the user data in the user data management unit 211 is updated, the terminal adapter 220
The connection of the telephone line 32 is canceled (step S111),
The server 210 ends the control.

Similarly to data transmission system 100, in data transmission system 200, detection of attachment of recording medium 30 by terminal adapter 220 is an instruction for data transmission and reception. Therefore, the data transmission / reception instruction is performed only by attaching the recording medium 30 to the terminal adapter 220. Accordingly, data is automatically transmitted and received between the server 210 and the terminal adapter 220 without the user having to perform an operation to connect the terminal adapter 220 to the telephone line 32.

In the second embodiment, the transmission time schedule of the terminal adapter 220 is distributed and set by the server 210 when the terminal adapter 220 first accesses the predetermined server 210. When the terminal adapter 220 is shipped or sold, the transmission time schedule is set to the terminal adapter 2.
20 may be set in the memory 222. Alternatively, a function of setting the transmission time in a random manner may be provided in advance for each terminal adapter 220, and a different transmission time may be automatically set for each terminal adapter 220.

Further, the transmission time may be appropriately changed. As in the second embodiment, each terminal adapter 22
The transmission time of 0 may be dispersed. Further, the number of outgoing calls may be limited to twice a day or the like.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 10 shows a configuration of a data transmission system 300 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

The configuration of the data transmission system 300 according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the data transmission system 300 except that a wireless terminal adapter 327 and a wireless connection adapter unit 334 are provided instead of the terminal adapter 220.
00 is the same as the configuration of FIG.

The wireless terminal adapter 327 includes a microcomputer 321, a timer 321a, a memory 322, an interface 323, an indicator 324, and a wireless module 336.

The wireless connection adapter unit 334 includes a memory 322, an LCU 325, and a modem (DSP) 326.
And a wireless module 335.

A microcomputer 321, a timer 321a,
The memory 322, the interface 323, the indicator 324, the LCU 325, and the modem (DSP) 32
The functions of No. 6 are the microcomputer 221, the timer 221 a, the memory 222, and the interface 223 of the second embodiment.
, The indicator 224, the LCU 225, and the function of the modem (DSP) 226.

The wireless module 335 and the wireless module 3
36 are mutually wirelessly connected.

The wireless module 335 and the wireless module 336 are Bluetooth, Ir, wireless Lan,
It can be realized by IEEE 1394 Wireless or the like.

Hereinafter, an automatic call executed from the wireless terminal adapter 327 to the server 310 by the data transmission system 300 having such a configuration will be described.

In the data transmission system 300 of the present invention,
When each wireless terminal adapter 327 accesses the server 310 for the first time, the outgoing time schedule is transmitted from the server 310 to the wireless terminal adapter 327 and registered. After the transmission time schedule is registered, data is transmitted between the server 310 and the wireless terminal adapter 327.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state in which the wireless terminal adapter 327 of the data transmission system 300 is used for data transmission.
The operation of FIG. The wireless terminal adapter 327 executes steps S80 to S98. When data transmission is performed, the operation of the wireless terminal adapter 327 of the data transmission system 300 is performed in step S83 shown in FIG.
8 is the same as the operation of the terminal adapter 220 shown in FIG. 8 except that steps S95 to S98 are executed instead of executing the operation of FIG.

Hereinafter, the operation of the wireless terminal adapter 327 in steps S95 to S98 will be described.

The wireless terminal adapter 327 checks whether or not the recording medium 30 is mounted on the wireless terminal adapter 327 (Step S82). Recording medium 30
If is installed in the wireless terminal adapter 327, the wireless module 336 of the wireless terminal adapter 327 and the wireless module 335 of the wireless connection adapter unit 334 are wirelessly connected (step S95).
Next, it is determined whether or not the wireless module 335 and the wireless module 336 are wirelessly connected (step S9).
6). When wirelessly connected, wireless terminal adapter 3
27 checks whether the server 310 can be accessed (step S84).

When the wireless connection is not established, the wireless terminal adapter 327 operates for a preset number N of times.
Attempt to connect the wireless module 335 and the wireless module 336 (step S97). If the wireless module 335 and the wireless module 336 cannot be wirelessly connected even after trying to connect N times in advance, the wireless terminal adapter 327 determines the wireless connection between the wireless module 335 and the wireless module 336 as an error. Then, the connection control ends (step S98).

As described above, according to the transmission system 300 of the third embodiment, the wireless terminal adapter 327
With the wireless communication function, the user can receive the service of the data transmission system at any place in the home. Also, the indicator of the wireless terminal adapter allows the user to check the data transmission / reception status at any place in the home.

Since the wireless terminal adapter 327 has a wireless communication function, the transmission system 10 according to the first embodiment
0 or when used in the transmission system 200 of the second embodiment, confirms an instruction to transmit data to the server and an instruction to receive data from the server via wireless communication, and transmits data to the server and transmits data from the server. Can be received.

The present invention relates to each of the first to third embodiments.
The configuration is not limited to that described above, and any configuration may be used as long as data is transmitted / received based on attachment / detachment of the recording medium 30 to / from the terminal adapter 120, the terminal adapter 220 or the wireless terminal adapter 327.

Further, the data transmission procedure of the present invention may be recorded as a program on a recording medium or supplied to a server or a terminal adapter via a network.

[0125]

As described above, the data transmission system of the present invention can transmit / receive data by attaching / detaching the recording medium without the user using the terminal adapter performing transmission / reception operations. Even users who are not familiar with the operation of electronic devices can easily transmit and receive data. In particular, since data is transmitted / received only when data transmission / reception is instructed, there is no possibility that a communication fee will be increased, and even a young user can use it with confidence. Further, since the data transmission / reception time can be set, the traffic to the server can be leveled.

When the data transmission system of the present invention has a wireless terminal adapter having a wireless communication function, the user can receive the service of the data transmission system at any place in the home. Also, in this case, the indicator of the wireless terminal adapter allows the user to check the data transmission / reception state at any place in the home.

The server and the terminal adapter of the present invention can be suitably used for such a data transmission system. In particular, by configuring the terminal adapter to record data on a recording medium to be mounted,
There is no need to particularly provide functions for browsing and viewing transmitted / received data, and the configuration can be made extremely simple.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a data transmission system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a 00.

FIG. 2 is a data transmission system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
It is a figure which shows the structure of 00 more specifically.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of a server 110 of the data transmission system 100 when performing center polling.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the terminal adapter 120 of the data transmission system 100 when performing center polling.

FIG. 5 is a data transmission system 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a 00.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of the terminal adapter 220 of the data transmission system 200 when registering a transmission time schedule.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation of the server 210 of the data transmission system 200 when registering a transmission time schedule.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the terminal adapter 220 of the data transmission system 200 when performing data transmission.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the server 210 of the data transmission system 200 when performing data transmission.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of a data transmission system 300 according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation of the wireless terminal adapter 327 of the data transmission system 300 when performing data transmission.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 30 recording medium 31 internet 32 telephone line 33 data input / output device 35 memory 36 interface 100 data transmission system 110 server 111 user data management unit 112 automatic distribution unit 120 terminal adapter 121 microcomputer 122 memory 123 interface 124 indicator 125 LCU 126 modem DSP

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Shuichi Yoshikawa, 22-22 Nagaikecho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Inside Sharp Corporation (72) Inventor Atsushi Tanaka 22-22 Nagaikecho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Inside the corporation

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A data transmission system comprising a server and a terminal adapter capable of mutually transmitting data, wherein the server accesses the terminal adapter at a preset transmission time, and transmits to the terminal adapter a first time. Confirming an instruction to transmit the first data and an instruction to receive the second data from the terminal adapter, transmitting the first data to the terminal adapter, and receiving the second data from the terminal adapter A data transmission system, characterized in that: 2. The terminal adapter according to claim 1, wherein a recording medium is detachable, and an instruction to transmit the first data and an instruction to receive the second data are issued in accordance with a detached state of the recording medium. The data transmission system according to claim 1, which is performed. 3. The data transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission time is set based on data traffic of the server. 4. A data transmission system comprising a server capable of mutually transmitting data and a plurality of terminal adapters, wherein said server sends said terminal adapters to said terminal adapters at different transmission times preset for each terminal adapter. Access, and confirms an instruction to transmit the first data to each terminal adapter and an instruction to receive the second data from each terminal adapter, and transmits and transmits the first data to each terminal adapter. A data transmission system for receiving the second data from each of the terminal adapters. 5. A data transmission system comprising a server and a terminal adapter capable of mutually transmitting data, wherein the terminal adapter accesses the server at a preset transmission time, and performs a first transmission to the server. Confirming an instruction to transmit the data and an instruction to receive the second data from the server, transmitting the first data to the server, and receiving the second data from the server. Data transmission system. 6. The terminal adapter has a wireless communication function, and confirms an instruction to transmit first data to the server and an instruction to receive second data from the server via wireless communication. The data transmission system according to claim 5, wherein the first data is transmitted to the server, and the second data is received from the server. 7. Data can be mutually transmitted with the server,
A terminal adapter to which a recording medium is detachable, wherein the terminal accesses the server at a preset transmission time in accordance with a detachment state of the recording medium, and instructs transmission of first data to the server; A terminal adapter for confirming an instruction to receive second data from a server, transmitting the first data to the server, and receiving the second data from the server. 8. The terminal adapter has a wireless communication function, and confirms an instruction to transmit first data to the server and an instruction to receive second data from the server via wireless communication. The terminal adapter according to claim 7, wherein the first data is transmitted to the server and the second data is received from the server. 9. The terminal adapter according to claim 7, wherein the transmission time and the address of the server are set in advance, and the server is accessed based on the transmission time and the address. 10. The recording medium according to claim 7, wherein the transmission time and the address of the server are set in advance, and the server is accessed based on the transmission time and the address of the server. Terminal adapter. 11. The terminal adapter according to claim 7, wherein the transmission time is set by accessing the server. 12. The terminal adapter according to claim 11, wherein an address of the server is set in advance so as to automatically access the server to which the transmission time is set. 13. A server capable of mutually transmitting data to and from a terminal adapter, wherein the server accesses the terminal adapter at a preset transmission time, instructs transmission of first data to the terminal adapter, and transmits the data to the terminal adapter. A server that confirms an instruction to receive second data from an adapter, transmits the first data to the terminal adapter, and receives the second data from the terminal adapter.