JP2002132569A - Groupware system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system which is capable of accessing information in an intranet by means of a portable radio terminal without opening a hole to a fire wall of the intranet. SOLUTION: The system comprises an intranet 101, an Internet 102, a groupware service provider 103, a packet network 109 of a telephone company and a portable telephone 110, 111 with browser function. Further, the intranet 101 comprises an intra-server 104, a fire wall 105 and a database DBa 106. The groupware service provider 103 is constituted of an Internet server 107 and a database DBb 108.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a groupware system mainly including a portable wireless terminal having a browser function in a system. Related to groupware system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, personal computers have spread in offices,
It was connected via a network such as a LAN, and software called groupware came to be used to improve work efficiency. By introducing groupware, schedule management and meetings can be done without meeting, contributing to office efficiency.

[0003] Recently, mobile phone services having a browser function such as i-mode service, EZWeb service, and J-Sky service have begun to spread, and it is desired to access office data from outside by using the mobile phone with the browser function. Needs are growing.

[0004] However, in order to allow access to the network in the office by the browser function of the portable radio terminal, it is necessary to release the intranet from the Internet, and the security of information in the office has to be avoided. It is the present situation.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a system capable of accessing information in an intranet by a portable radio terminal without making a hole in a firewall of the intranet.

[0006]

According to the present invention, a groupware system operated by a server in an intranet protected by a firewall is connected to a packet network of a portable radio terminal having a browser function. By installing an intranet external server and providing synchronization means for synchronizing the intranet server and the intranet external server as necessary, the intranet server by the portable wireless terminal with a browser function without interfering with a firewall. We adopted a groupware system characterized by the ability to access information managed by the groupware.

Here, the synchronization includes the following steps: 1) when data is rewritten in the server in the intranet, sending information relating to the rewriting to the intranet external server; 2) monitoring the data rewriting in the intranet external server. It is preferable that a monitoring unit is provided to monitor rewriting of data, and a step of transmitting an http request from the server in the intranet to the server outside the intranet to obtain information on rewriting.

[0008] Here, the transmission timing of the http request includes rewriting of the external server if it includes at least one selected from a time when the user presses a prepared synchronization button and a time when the user logs in, at regular time intervals. The burden on the system due to synchronization can be minimized.

Further, it is preferable that a monitoring means for monitoring data rewriting is provided in a server in the intranet, and when the rewriting is detected by the monitoring means, information on the rewriting is sent to the external server on the intranet.

If the information on rewriting is a difference caused by data rewriting, the amount of data transmitted for synchronization can be reduced.

When the access from the portable wireless terminal is authenticated by at least one selected from a unique ID, a password, and an ID given by a system administrator when the portable wireless terminal is manufactured, security can be ensured.

[0012] The mobile radio terminal selects information according to at least one selected from a position of the mobile radio terminal, a preference of the mobile radio terminal user registered in advance, and time, and uploads the information to the intranet external server. If a distribution means for distributing information to the terminal user is provided, the distribution service becomes useful for the user.

Here, if the information is encrypted, the privacy of the user may be protected.

For users belonging to a plurality of groupware systems, the information distributed in each system may be synchronized by using the intranet external server so that the information can be unified.

[0015] If the distribution log of the information is monitored, and the user is charged based on the log, a charging service may be provided to an arbitrary site where the charging function of the carrier cannot be used.

If the external server of the intranet is a server existing on the Internet, the system can be easily constructed and is convenient.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

First Embodiment FIG. 1 is an external view schematically showing a groupware system according to the first embodiment. It comprises an intranet 101, the Internet 102, a groupware service provider 103, a packet network 109 of a telephone company, and mobile phones 110 and 111 with a browser function.

The intranet 101 further includes a server 104 in the intranet, a firewall 105, and a database a106. The groupware service provider 103 includes an Internet server 107 and a database b108.

The database a106 and the database b1
In step 08, the stored data is synchronized with each other by a synchronization unit described later. By doing so, information is shared in the intranet 101 by the groupware system. For example, if a user using this groupware wants to access the shared information using the mobile phone 110, the firewall 105
Cannot access the database in the intranet, but the database synchronized with the database in the intranet, that is, the database b108
By accessing, information equivalent to accessing a database in the intranet can be obtained.

Alternatively, the user who accesses the database b 108 using the mobile phone 111
When the data in the intranet 108 is rewritten, the database a106 in the intranet is also updated by the synchronization means, so that the same work as rewriting data using a terminal in the intranet can be performed on the go.

Next, the synchronization between the database in the intranet and the database outside the intranet will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing synchronization when the database a106 in the intranet is rewritten by a terminal or the like (not shown) in the intranet. Here, a program for monitoring data writing is resident in the intra-server 104. When rewriting of data is detected, difference data generated by rewriting is transmitted to the Internet server 107 via the http protocol. The Internet server 107 updates the database b108 using the received difference data. Here, the communication by the http protocol is permitted by the setting of the firewall.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing synchronization when the database b108 outside the intranet is rewritten by a mobile phone (not shown). This is the step of synchronizing the updates of the intranet external database with the databases in the intranet. Here, a program for monitoring data writing is resident in the intranet external server 107. An http request is sent periodically, and difference data generated by rewriting is sent to the server 104 in the intranet via the http protocol. Intranet server 104
Updates the database a106 using the difference data sent by the http response. In the present embodiment, the http request is periodically transmitted. However, the timing of this request is not limited to this, and the timing at which the synchronization button is set on the terminal and the user presses it when the user accesses the terminal may be used.

[0023]

Second Embodiment FIG. 4 is an external view schematically showing a groupware system according to a second embodiment. It comprises an intranet 401, the Internet 402, a groupware service provider 403, a packet network 410 of a telephone company, and mobile phones 411 and 412 with a browser function.

The intranet 401 further includes a content server 404, a firewall 405, a content database 406, and a personal database a407. The groupware service provider 403 includes a distribution server 408 and a personal database b409.

The personal database a 406 and the personal database b 409 synchronize stored data with each other by the synchronization means described in the first embodiment. Information is shared in the intranet 401 by a groupware system. For example, when a user using this groupware wants to access information shared using the mobile phone 411, the database in the intranet cannot be accessed because of the firewall 405, but the personal database in the intranet has been synchronized. Database, ie, personal database b40
By accessing No. 9, information equivalent to accessing the personal database a in the intranet can be obtained.

Here, when the content stored in the content DB 406 is to be distributed to the user, the content may be transmitted to the personal database a 407 stored in the intranet by the content server 404. As a result of the synchronization, a result equivalent to that delivered to the personal database b409 is obtained. The user uses the mobile phone 411 to access the packet network 4.
Groupware service provider 40 through 10
3 and browses the content stored in the personal database b. Here, if the user is specified by the unique ID of the mobile phone of the access user and the access log is recorded, security is ensured, and further, charging based on the log can be performed.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, information can be shared with the intranet using the browser function of the portable radio terminal without impairing the security in the intranet.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows synchronization.

FIG. 3 shows synchronization.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a groupware system according to a second embodiment;

Claims (11)

[Claims] In a groupware system operated by an intranet server protected by a firewall, an intranet external server connected to a packet network of a portable radio terminal with a browser function is installed, and the intranet server and the intranet are connected. Groupware characterized in that by providing synchronization means for synchronizing with an external server as needed, the information managed by the server in the intranet can be accessed by the portable wireless terminal with a browser function without interfering with a firewall. system. 2. The synchronization is set so as to permit communication with the outside via the firewall's http protocol. 1) When data is rewritten in the server in the intranet, information on the rewriting is sent to the server external to the intranet. Step 2) In the intranet external server, a monitoring means for monitoring data rewriting is provided, the data rewriting is monitored, and an http request is sent from the intranet server to the intranet external server to acquire information about the rewriting. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing is performed in steps consisting of steps. 3. The transmission timing of the http request includes at least one selected from a time when the user presses a synchronization button prepared in advance, a time when the user logs in, and a predetermined time. The system according to claim 2. 4. A server in the intranet, wherein monitoring means for monitoring data rewriting is provided, and when the data rewriting is detected by the monitoring means, information on the rewriting is transmitted to the intranet external server. The system according to claim 2, wherein: 5. The system according to claim 2, wherein said information relating to rewriting is a difference generated by rewriting data. 6. The portable wireless terminal according to claim 1, wherein the access from the portable wireless terminal is authenticated by at least one selected from a unique ID, a password, and an ID given by a system administrator. The described system. 7. Selecting information according to at least one selected from the position of the portable wireless terminal, preference of the portable wireless terminal user registered in advance, and time, and uploading the information to the intranet external server. 2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a delivery unit that delivers information to the portable wireless terminal user. 8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said information is encrypted. 9. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein information distributed to each of the plurality of groupware systems is synchronized with each other using the intranet external server. system. 10. The system according to claim 7, wherein said information distribution log is monitored, and said user is charged based on said log. 11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said intranet external server is a server existing on the Internet.