JP2002207654A - Communication network system and server device and terminal device of the communication network - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication network system which can evade the concentration of communication connections on one server device by sending and receiving emphasized data to and from a nearby server device. SOLUTION: When a portable terminal device 12-4 sends a request for local information to a server device 10-1 sending the local information to portable terminal devices 12-1 and 12-2, a communication-connected server device 10-2 is decided as a communication server and the local information is sent to the portable terminal device 12-4 through this server device 10-2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication network system for transmitting and receiving local information such as individual guide information of exhibits in museums and exhibitions, and more particularly to a communication network system for handling a plurality of local information. The present invention relates to a server device and a terminal device in the communication network system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a place where a plurality of exhibits, such as museums and exhibitions, are displayed, guidance information for each of the displayed exhibits is obtained by arranging explanatory documents near the exhibits. It was communicated to visitors. In recent years, there has been a method in which guidance information is transmitted using multimedia information such as audio and images by detecting that a visitor has approached an exhibit using infrared rays instead of an explanatory document. A system for transmitting local information such as guidance information using such multimedia information is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-1.
No. 8394 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-252121.

According to "Terminal device, information distribution system and information reproducing method" proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-18394, a host device having a communication means for transmitting local information by wireless communication near an exhibit. When a visitor carrying the terminal device enters the wireless communication area of the host device, the terminal device receives local information transmitted from the communication means of the host device. And
Guide information specific to the exhibit is provided to the terminal device, and the guide information is output from the terminal device as audio or video and transmitted to the visitor.

[0004] According to a "position-dependent information providing system" proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-252121,
In an exhibition hall or the like, a portable terminal carried by a visitor communicates with a transmitting device that provides position information using infrared communication, so that the portable terminal grasps the position of the visitor. The mobile terminal that obtained this location information communicates with the server via a wireless bridge set up around the exhibition hall, and the server sends guidance information about the exhibit near the place where the visitor is located, The information is output as audio or video by the mobile terminal and transmitted to the visitor.

[0005]

However, according to "Terminal device, information distribution system and information reproducing method" in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-18394, it is necessary for the host device to always transmit local information. . Therefore,
The power consumption in the host device increases as compared with the case where the terminal device is in a standby state until communication is established with the terminal device. Also, the terminal device only receives local information that is constantly transmitted from the host device, and until the first information of the local information transmitted from the host device is detected,
Do not process. Therefore, when the local information received by the terminal device from the host device is in the middle, the visitor needs to wait for the output from the terminal device.

In the "location-dependent information providing system" proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-252121, a plurality of local information are centrally managed by a server. When the number of mobile terminals increases, the load on the server for communication increases. In addition, the portable terminal requires a plurality of communication units, that is, a communication unit for acquiring position information from the transmitting device and a communication unit for acquiring local information from the server.
Therefore, miniaturization of the portable terminal device is prevented, and the production cost is increased.

[0007] In view of such a problem, the present invention provides a method of transmitting and receiving data in cooperation with a nearby server device.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication network system that can prevent communication connections from being concentrated on one server device. Another object of the present invention is to provide a terminal device and a server device in such a communication network system.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a communication network system according to the present invention comprises: n (n is a natural number) server devices transmitting unique information; and a communicable area of the server devices. In a communication network system including m (m is a natural number) terminal devices that receive the unique information transmitted from the server device, k (k is a natural number of 1 ≦ k ≦ n) A terminal device that is in the communicable area of the server device and that requests to receive the unique information transmitted from one server device as a content server from the k server devices, The server device serving as the content server requested to be received by the client device has the lowest communication load than the k server devices capable of communicating with the terminal device including the own device. When the server device is selected as a communication server, and the server device serving as the content server is a server device serving as the communication server is its own device, the terminal device directly requests the reception of the unique information. Performing communication, and when the server device serving as the communication server is a server device other than the own device, via the server device serving as the communication server, a terminal device requesting to receive the unique information; Communication is performed.

In such a communication network system, when a certain terminal device uses one server device as a content server and requests this server device to receive unique information, the terminal device is requested as a content server. The server device selects a server device with the lowest communication load as a communication server than a server device that can be connected to the terminal device. Then, when the content server and the communication server match, that is, when the own device is selected as the communication server, the unique information is directly transmitted to the terminal device. When the content server does not match the communication server, that is, when a server device other than the own device is selected as the communication server, information unique to the terminal device is transmitted via the server device serving as the communication server. .

In the communication network system, first, the terminal device is a first server which is a content server for requesting reception of the unique information among the k server devices capable of communication. For the device
A content server connection request signal is transmitted. Then, the first server device that has received the content server connection request signal selects a second server device to be the communication server from the k server devices capable of communicating with the terminal device, and selects the second server device. A connection server signal for instructing communication with the terminal device is transmitted to the terminal device. Next, the terminal device communicates with the second server indicated by the connection server signal.
A communication server connection request signal for instructing the server device to transmit the unique information transmitted by the first server device to the terminal device is transmitted. Finally, a communication network is established by mutually recognizing that the second server device and the terminal device are in a communicable state.

When the second server is a server different from the first server, the unique information transmitted by the first server is temporarily stored in a storage device such as a memory. I do. Furthermore, the load on the communication of the server device may be based on the number of other server devices and terminal devices that are communicatively connected to the server device.

[0012] In such a communication network system, the terminal device receives the unique information by communicating with one of a plurality of server devices transmitting the unique information. A connection server search unit for searching for a plurality of communicable server devices including a server device that performs a reception request, a communication data transmission / reception unit for transmitting / receiving a signal to / from the server device, and a search performed by the connection server search unit A connection server management unit for managing roles of the plurality of server devices, an output data storage unit for storing the unique information, and an output for outputting the unique information stored in the output data storage unit A server device for requesting reception of the unique information among the plurality of communicable server devices as a content server. And sets managed by the connection server management unit, to the server apparatus with the content server,
A content server connection request signal for requesting reception of the unique information is transmitted from the communication data transmitting / receiving unit,
In the communication data transmitting / receiving unit, when a connection server signal indicating a server device serving as a communication server transmitting the unique information of the server device serving as the content server is received from the server device serving as the content server, A server device serving as a communication server is set and managed by the connection server device management unit, and an instruction is given to the server device serving as the communication server to transmit the unique information transmitted from the server device serving as the content server. Transmitting a communication server connection request signal for communication from the communication data transmitting and receiving unit, and finally, the communication data transmitting and receiving unit receives a terminal connection signal indicating that a connection has been established from the server device serving as the communication server, The unique information from the server device serving as the content server serves as the communication server. Characterized in that a data communication enabled state capable to be received from the server apparatus.

[0013] In such a terminal device, when the data communication is enabled and the data communication is input, the server device serving as the communication server is compared with the server device serving as the content server. Transmitting a data communication request signal for requesting transmission of the unique information of the above, and then receiving the unique information of the server device serving as the content server from the server device serving as the communication server. Thus, unique information can be output according to a user's request.

Further, after receiving all of the unique information of the server device serving as the content server, when requesting the unique information by using another server device as a content server, the content server is changed from the data communicable state to the content server. The server device serving as the server and the server device serving as the communication server are set in a standby state, and each time the transmission of the unique information from the server device serving as the content server is completed, the unique information to be received next is set. A communication network for searching for a server device that transmits the above information and receiving the unique information can be constructed.

Further, the server device of the present invention transmits a unique information and, in a server device capable of communicating with a plurality of terminal devices, a unique information storage unit for storing the unique information, a plurality of server devices, A communication data transmission / reception unit for transmitting / receiving signals to / from the terminal device; a communication load measurement unit for measuring a load on communication between the plurality of other server devices and the own device which communicate with the own device; For each terminal device that makes a request to receive the information, the server device having the lowest load measured by the communication load measuring unit among the server devices connectable to each terminal device including its own device is set as the communication server. A connection server determination unit, and a connection host management unit for performing role management of a plurality of other server devices that communicate with each other, and from one of the terminal devices,
When a content server connection request signal for requesting reception of the unique information as a content server is received from the communication data transmission / reception unit, the communication load measurement unit
After measuring the load on communication between a plurality of server devices that can be connected to the terminal device including its own device, the server device with the lowest load is used as the communication server by the connection server determination unit, and the communication server is used by the connection host management unit. And a connection server signal for instructing the server device serving as the communication server to make a communication request from the communication data transmitting / receiving unit to the terminal device. And

In such a server device, further, when the content server is a server device other than the own device and is set as the communication server, the unique content of the other server device set in the content server A communication server connection request signal for instructing the terminal device to transmit the unique information transmitted from the other server device serving as the content server, the proxy server data storage unit including a proxy server data storage unit for storing information; Is received by the communication data transmission / reception unit, the connection host management unit sets and manages a server device serving as a content server, and the communication data transmission / reception unit receives the unique information from another server device serving as the content server. Then, it is stored in the proxy server data storage unit.

When the communication data transmission / reception unit receives a data communication request signal for requesting transmission of the unique information of the server device serving as the content server from the terminal device, Transmits the unique information of the server device serving as the content server.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an ad hoc network system (a communication network system in [claims]) of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration (hardware configuration) of a communication control device serving as a server device and a mobile terminal device in the ad hoc network system of FIG.

<Configuration of Ad Hoc Network System> The ad hoc network system according to the present embodiment has server devices 10-1 and 10- that transmit unique local information.
2,..., 10-n and server devices 10-1, 10-2,.
, 11-n, which are located in any of the ad hoc network areas 11-1, 11-2,..., 11-n. Mobile terminal devices 12-1, 12-2, which communicate with one of them,
.., 12-m.

As shown in FIG. 2, the communication control device serving as the server device 10-1 to 10-n or the mobile terminal device 12-1 to 12-m which constitutes such an ad hoc network system controls and controls each unit. CPU (Centra
l Processing Unit) 201, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 202 in which various software and data such as programs for operating each unit are stored, and a RAM (Random Acc.) in which data necessary for processing in each unit is temporarily stored.
ess Memory) 203. Therefore, the CPU 201
Reads and writes software and data stored in the ROM 202, and reads and writes data to the RAM 203, so that the CPU 201 performs control and operation management of each unit in the communication control device.

The communication control device shown in FIG. 2 includes an input unit 204 for inputting various data from the outside, an output unit 205 for outputting data to the outside, an input unit 204 and an output unit 2.
And an I / O (Input / Output) device 206 for exchanging data between the CPU 05 and the CPU 201. Therefore, when data is input by operating the input unit 204, the data is input to the I / O device 206.
Is converted into data that can be processed by the CPU 201 and
It is sent to 201. When data is sent from the CPU 201 to the I / O device 206, the I / O data 20
In step 6, the data is converted into data that can be processed by the output unit 205 and output to the output unit 205.

Further, the communication control device shown in FIG. 2 is a storage device 2 for storing various data or reading out various stored data.
07, a communication device 208 that encodes, decodes, and modulates and demodulates data, and an antenna 209 that transmits and receives signals to and from another communication control device. Therefore, the data is stored by being stored in the storage device 207. Further, data to be transmitted to another communication control device is encoded by the communication device 208 and then modulated to generate a transmission signal, and the transmission signal is transmitted from the antenna 209 to another communication control device. In addition, a signal transmitted from another communication control device is received by the antenna 209, and the received signal is demodulated by the communication device 208 and then decoded, whereby C
The data can be processed by the PU 201.

When the communication control device is a server device, the storage device 207 uses an external storage device such as a hard disk drive for storing information, and uses an ad hoc network or an LA for reading information.
A network device such as N (Local Area Network) or the Internet may be used. When the communication control device is a portable terminal device, the storage device 207 stores
In order to store various data, a storage device suitable for a small portable terminal device such as a flash memory or a memory card may be used in addition to the hard disk drive.

<Functional Configuration of Server> Server 10
When the communication control devices -1 to 10-n are configured as illustrated in FIG. 2, the server devices 10-1 to 10-n have the functional configuration illustrated in FIG. 3 to be used in the ad hoc network system. are doing. That is, the server devices 10-1 to 10-n
A control unit 301 for controlling the operation of each function, a communication control unit 302 and an application control unit 307 controlled by the control unit 301, a communication data transmission / reception unit 303 and a communication load controlled by the communication control unit 302 Measurement unit 304, connection server determination unit 305, connection host management unit 306, and application control unit 307
A server data storage unit 308 and a proxy server data storage unit 309 that are managed by the server.

When the functions of the server devices 10-1 to 10-n are configured as described above, the connection host management unit 306 and the proxy server data storage unit 309 are configured in the RAM 203. In addition, the server data storage unit 308
Is configured within. For other functional units, CPU
The program 201 is provided as a function of configuring a program whose execution is controlled by the program 201.

The operation of the communication device 208 is managed by the communication data transmission / reception unit 303, and the communication operation with another communication control device such as a server device or a portable terminal device is controlled. In addition, the communication load measuring unit 304 detects the amount of communication processed by the communication device 208 of each of the other server devices and the own device connected by communication. In addition, the connection server determination unit 305 determines a server device most suitable for communication from a plurality of server devices including its own device. Further, the RAM 203 is controlled by the communication control unit 302,
Connection host management unit 30 in the state of the other connected server device
6 is controlled.

By the application control unit 307,
The storage device 207 is controlled to write and read local information to and from the server data storage unit 308. Also, the application control unit 307 sets the RA
M203 is controlled to write and read the local information transmitted from another communication-connected server device to the proxy server data storage unit 309.

<Functional Configuration of Portable Terminal Device> When the portable terminal devices 12-1 to 12-m are configured as communication control devices having a configuration as shown in FIG. 2, the portable terminal device is used in an ad hoc network system. 12-1 to 12-m have a functional configuration as shown in FIG. That is, the server devices 12-1 to 12-m
Are a control unit 401 for controlling the operation of each function, a communication control unit 402 and an application control unit 406 controlled by the control unit 401, and a communication control unit 402
Data transmission / reception unit 403, connection server search unit 404, and connection server management unit 405 that are operationally managed by
And a content server selection unit 407, an output data storage unit 408, and a data output unit 409 that are operationally managed by the application control unit 406.

When the functions of the portable terminal devices 12-1 to 12-m are configured in this manner, the connection server management unit 405
It is configured in the AM 203. The output data storage unit 40
8 is configured in the storage device 207. Other functional units are provided as functions constituting a program that is executed and controlled by the CPU 201.

The communication data transmitting / receiving unit 403 manages the operation of the communication device 208, and controls the communication operation with another communication control device such as a server device or a portable terminal device. The connection server search unit 404 searches for a server device that can be connected for communication. Also, the communication control unit 402
Accordingly, the RAM 203 is controlled, and the writing and reading of the information on the server device capable of communication connection searched by the connection server search unit 404 to and from the connection server management unit 405 are controlled.

The application control unit 406
The storage device 207 is controlled to write and read the received and obtained local information to and from the output data storage unit 408. In addition, the server device storing the desired local information is selected as a content server by the content server selection unit 407. Also, the data output unit 4
In step 09, the output unit 205 is controlled, and the local information read from the output data storage unit 408 is output from the output unit 205 as video or audio.

<Operation of Mobile Terminal Device in Standby State>
First, regarding the operation when the mobile terminal devices 12-1 to 12-m (hereinafter, referred to as the mobile terminal device 12) are in a standby state,
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the input unit 204 of the portable terminal device 12 is operated and turned on, the portable terminal device 12 enters a standby state, and the connection server search unit 404 controls the communication device 208 to switch the receiving channel. The server device 10 (corresponding to the server devices 10-1 to 10-n) is searched for from the signal received from the antenna 209 (S501). At this time, the retrieved server device 10 is regarded as a connection server candidate by the connection server management unit 40.
5 is stored.

Then, among the connection server candidates stored in the connection server management unit 405, the server device 10-a (a is a natural number satisfying 1 ≦ a ≦ n, It is determined whether there is such a server device 10-a as a “content server” (S50).
2). Since the local information stored in each of the server devices 10-1 to 10-n is different, the mobile terminal device 12
May be stored in the ROM 202 in a table indicating the relationship between all the local information acquired in advance and the server device 10 having each local information. At this time, the content server selecting unit 407 recognizes the server device 10-a to be a content server from the table in the ROM 202, and
What is necessary is just to judge whether or not it exists in the connection server candidates stored in the connection server management unit 405 and select it.

In S502, when it is confirmed that the content server is stored in the connection server management unit 405 (Yes), the content server selection unit 407
The server device 10-a serving as the content server is selected (S503), and the communication device 208 is controlled by the communication data transmission / reception unit 403 to send a content server connection request signal to the server device 10-a serving as the content server via the antenna 209. (S504).
If the content server is not confirmed in S502 (No), the process returns to S501 to search for a connectable server device 10.

The server device 10-a that has received the content server connection request signal can recognize that the portable terminal device 12 that has transmitted the content server connection request signal uses its own device as a content server. In addition, by providing the content server connection request signal with information on the server device 10 that is a connection server candidate to which the mobile terminal device 12 can connect, the server device 10-a can connect to the server to which the mobile terminal device 12 can connect. The device 10 can be recognized.

After that, the server device 10-b (b is a natural number of 1 ≦ b ≦ n) for connecting to the portable terminal device 12 from the server device 10-a that has received the content server connection request signal. It is confirmed whether or not the connection server signal for causing the server device 10-b to be recognized as a “communication server” is received by the antenna 209 (S50).
5). At this time, when the connection server signal is received (Ye
s) The communication data transmitting / receiving unit 403 recognizes the communication server by being demodulated and decoded by the communication device 208, and the server device 10-a serving as the content server and the server device 10-b serving as the communication server Is stored in the connection server management unit 405 (S50).
6).

When the connection server signal is not received in S505 (No), the communication data transmitting / receiving unit 40 determines whether or not the content server connection request signal has been transmitted a predetermined number of times.
3 is confirmed (S507). At this time, if the content server connection request signal has not been transmitted a predetermined number of times (No), the content server connection request signal is transmitted again (S504).
A search for 0 is performed (S501).

When the content server and the communication server are confirmed in S506, the communication device 208 is controlled by the communication data transmitting / receiving unit 403, and the communication device connection request signal is transmitted to the server device 10-b serving as the communication server. 209 (S508). The server device 10-b that has received the communication server connection request signal, the mobile terminal device 12 that has transmitted the communication server connection request signal,
It is possible to recognize that the own device is used as a communication server. Also, the mobile terminal device 1 is included in the communication server connection request signal.
By providing the information of the server device 10-a as a content server, it is possible to recognize that the portable terminal device 12 requests local information stored in the server device 10-a. .

Thereafter, the server device 10-b, which has received the communication server connection request signal, recognizes the portable terminal device 12 and confirms whether or not a terminal connection signal for establishing a connection has been received (S509). . At this time, when receiving the terminal connection signal (Yes), the communication device 208
The communication data transmitting / receiving unit 403 recognizes that the connection with the server device 10-b as the communication server has been established, and transits to the data communication state.

As described above, when the portable terminal device 12 transitions to the data communication state, the audio output or the image output is performed from the output unit 205 to notify that the connection with the server device 10 has been established. It does not matter. Therefore, the user recognizes that the state has transitioned to the data communication state from the output from the output unit 205, and can operate the input unit 204 to request the output unit 205 to output local information.

When the terminal connection signal is not received in S509 (No), the communication data transmitting / receiving unit 403 checks whether or not the communication server connection request signal has been transmitted a predetermined number of times (S510). At this time, if the transmission has not been performed the predetermined number of times (No), the communication server connection request signal is transmitted again (S508), and if the transmission has been performed the predetermined number of times (Y
es) Then, the search for the connectable server device 10 is performed again (S501).

<Operation of Mobile Terminal Device after Transition to Data Communication State> Next, the operation of the mobile terminal device 12 that has transitioned from the standby state to the data communication state as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. I do.

When the portable terminal device 12 shifts to the data communication state, the control unit 401 checks whether or not the user operates the input unit 204 to request the output of local information (S601). At this time, if there is an input from the user (Yes), the communication device 208 is controlled by the communication data transmission / reception unit 403, and a data communication request signal is transmitted to the server device 10-b serving as a communication server via the antenna 209. Send (S60
2).

This data communication request signal includes information for specifying the server device 10-a to be a content server, and the server device 10-b has a message that the server device 10-a is to be a content server. recognize. Therefore, when the server device 10-b matches the server device 10-a, that is, when the content server matches the communication server, the local information stored in the own device can be transmitted to the mobile terminal device 12. . When the server device 10-b is different from the server device 10-a, that is, when the content server does not match the communication server, the local information obtained by requesting the server device 10-a is transmitted to the portable terminal device 12. Can be sent.

After transmitting the data communication request signal in S602, it is confirmed whether local information has been received from the server 10-b (S603). At this time, when the local information is received via the antenna 209 (Yes), the local information is demodulated and decoded by the communication device 208.
Then, this local information is stored in the output data storage unit 408 as output data. Output data storage unit 408
The output data stored in the application control unit 4
After the data is read by the data 06, the output unit 205 is controlled by the data output unit 409, and the local information is output as a sound or an image (S604).

When the local information is not received in S603 (No), the communication data transmitting / receiving unit 403 checks whether the data communication request signal has been transmitted a predetermined number of times (S605). At this time, if the data communication request signal has not been transmitted a predetermined number of times (No), the data communication request signal is transmitted again (S602), and if the data communication request signal has been transmitted a predetermined number of times (Ye).
s) The communication data transmitting / receiving unit 403 controls the communication device 208 so that the connection with the server device 10-b is terminated (S608), and transitions to a standby state.

When there is no input by the user in S601 (No), or when the output operation in S604 is performed,
It is confirmed whether all the local information transmitted from the server device 10-b has been transmitted and the instruction information for changing the content server has been obtained (S606). That is, upon transmitting all the requested local information to the mobile terminal device 12, the server device 10-b transmits instruction information for changing the content server to the mobile terminal device 12.

At this time, when the change of the content server is instructed (Yes), the communication data transmission / reception unit 403 controls the communication device 208 so that the connection with the server device 10-b is terminated (S608), and waits. Transition to the state.
When the change of the content server has not been instructed (No), the control unit 401 checks whether or not the user has operated the input unit 204 to instruct the end (S607). At this time, when the end is instructed, the data communication ends. If there is no termination instruction, it is confirmed again whether the output of the local information has been requested (S601).

Note that the confirmation of the change of the content server in S606 may be performed by confirming whether or not the user operates the input unit 204 to instruct. The confirmation of the end instruction in S607 is such that the end instruction is given when all the local information stored in the server devices 10-1 to 10-n is output, and is given in this manner. The end instruction may be confirmed.

<Operation of Server Device> Next, the operation of the server device 10 that performs data communication with the portable terminal device 12 that operates as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the input section 204 of the server device 10 is operated and the power is turned on, a connection is established between the plurality of server devices 10 (S701), and a standby state for receiving a transmission signal from the portable terminal device 12 is established. (S702).
Note that the plurality of server devices 10 may be configured by an ad hoc network that performs data communication with the portable terminal device 12 or the like, or a communication using another communication medium such that a LAN is constructed between the server devices 10. It may be a network. The information of the other server device 10 to which the connection has been established in S701 is stored in the connection host management unit 306.

Then, first, it is confirmed whether or not the content server connection request signal has been transmitted from the portable terminal device 12 (S703). At this time, when a content server connection request signal is received via the antenna 209 (Ye
s) The signal is demodulated and decoded by the communication device 208 controlled by the communication data transmission / reception unit 303. And
In the connection server determination unit 305, the connection host management unit 3
It is confirmed whether or not there is a server device 10 that is a connection server candidate given from the portable terminal device 12 among the other server devices 10 that have established a connection and stored in 06 (S704). At this time, it recognizes that its own device is a content server.

At this time, when the existence of the server device 10 as a connection server candidate is confirmed (Yes), the communication load of the own device operating as the content server is calculated by the communication load measuring unit 304 (S705). Also,
The communication load on the other server device 10 that is a connection server candidate is obtained from the other server device 10 via the communication data transmission / reception unit 303 (S706). Then, the server device 10 having the lowest communication load is set as the communication server,
The connection server determination unit 305 performs a determination operation (S70
7). Note that the communication load measured in S705 and S706 may be calculated using the number of mobile terminals 12 connected to each server device 10 or the amount of communication passing through the server device 10. .

When the communication server is determined in step S707, the control unit 301 generates a connection server signal for causing the portable terminal device 12 that has transmitted the content server connection request signal to recognize the server device 10 serving as the communication server. After that, the communication device 2
08 is controlled and transmitted via the antenna 209 (S708).

At this time, when the server device 10 other than the own device becomes the communication server, the connection host management unit 306 stores information on the server device 10 as the communication server. Further, when the connection to the server device 10 serving as the connection server candidate given from the portable terminal device 12 is not confirmed in S704 (No), the connection server signal indicating this is transmitted using the own device as the communication server ( S708).

As described above, in S708, when a connection server signal indicating that the own device is recognized as a content server and the server device 10 which is a communication server for communication connection of the portable terminal device 12 is transmitted, the communication is performed. It is determined whether the server connection request signal has been transmitted from the mobile terminal device 12 (S709). Also, if the content server connection request signal is not received in S703 (No),
The flow shifts to 709, where it is determined whether the communication server connection request signal has been transmitted from the mobile terminal device 12.

At this time, when the communication server connection request signal is received via the antenna 209 (Yes), the signal is demodulated and decoded by the communication device 208 controlled by the communication data transmission / reception unit 303. Then, the server device 1 serving as the content server in the communication server connection request signal
0 is recognized by the connection server determination unit 305. Then, the control unit 301 determines whether or not the own device is both a content server and a communication server (S71).
0). That is, since the own device is a communication server but not a content server, it is confirmed whether or not to perform the proxy connection of the server device 10 as the content server.

When it is recognized that the own device is not a content server (Yes), the information of the server device 10 serving as the content server is stored in the connection host management unit 306, and when there is no data or the data is updated,
It performs mutual communication with the server device 10 serving as a content server to acquire local information (S711). At this time, local information provided from the server device 10 serving as a content server is stored in the proxy server data storage unit 309.

When the proxy connection is set in S711,
After the control unit 301 generates a terminal connection signal for causing the mobile terminal device 12 that has transmitted the communication server connection request signal to recognize that a connection has been established, the communication data transmission / reception unit 303 controls the communication device 208. Transmitted via the antenna 209 (S712). Also, S7
When it is recognized at 10 that the own device provided by the mobile terminal device 12 is to be a content server (No), a terminal connection signal for recognizing that the connection has been established is transmitted (S712).

As described above, when the terminal connection signal indicating that the connection with the own device has been established is transmitted in S712,
It is determined whether the data communication request signal has been transmitted from portable terminal device 12 (S713). Also, in S709, when the communication server connection request signal is not received (N
o), the flow shifts to S713, where it is determined whether the data communication request signal has been transmitted from the mobile terminal device 12.

At this time, the communication data transmitting / receiving unit 303
When the data communication request signal is received via the antenna 209 (Yes), the data communication request signal is demodulated and decoded by the communication device 208 controlled by the communication data transmission / reception unit 303. Then, it is determined from the content server information included in the data communication request signal whether the own device is a content server (S714).

At this time, the own device is a content server,
If it is confirmed that there is no need for a proxy connection (No), the local information in the server data storage unit 308 is read (S715). Then, the communication information transmitting / receiving unit 303 controls the communication device 208 to encode the local information, and then modulates the information, and transmits the modulated information via the antenna 209 (S718).

If it is recognized in S714 that the own device is not a content server but to make a proxy connection (Ye
s), server device 1 to be the required content server
The application control unit 307 checks whether the local information of “0” is stored in the proxy server data storage unit 309 (S716). When the local information of the server device 10 serving as the requested content server is stored in the proxy server data storage unit 309 (Ye
s), and stores the local information in the proxy server data storage unit 30
9 (S715), and then transmits to the portable terminal device 12 (S718).

In S716, when the local information of the server device 10 to be the requested content server is not stored in the proxy server data storage unit 309 or is updated (No), the server device 10 to be the content server is Communication with the server to obtain local information (S7)
17). At this time, the local information provided from the server device 10 is stored in the proxy server data storage unit 309. Then, the local information is transmitted to the portable terminal device 12 (S718).

When the data communication request signal is not received in STEP 713 (No), or when the local information is transmitted to the portable terminal device 12 in S718, the input unit 204 is operated and the end is instructed. The control unit 401 confirms whether or not the operation has been performed (S719). At this time, when the end is instructed, the data communication ends. If there is no end instruction, the process shifts to the standby state, and the operation after S702 is performed.

<Operation example when applied to ad hoc network> The operation of the server device and the portable terminal device when forming an ad hoc network as shown in FIG. 8 will be described below. The operation described below is one typical operation example for explaining the operation of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 8, the server devices 10-1 and 10-2
Mobile terminal devices 12-1 to 12-3 exist, the mobile terminal device 12-1 is in the ad hoc network area 11-1 of the server device 10-1, and the mobile terminal device 12-2 is the server device 10-1. , 10-2 ad hoc network area 11-
The portable terminal device 12-3 is located in an area where the mobile terminal device 12-3 overlaps the ad hoc network area 11 of the server device 10-2.
-2.

At this time, the server devices 10-1 and 10-2
It has been confirmed that they communicate with each other and are connected to each other. Then, the portable terminal devices 12-1, 12
-2 has selected the server device 10-1 as the content server, and the mobile terminal device 12-3 has selected the server device 10-2 as the content server. As is clear from FIG. 8, the portable terminal device 12-1 can communicate only with the server device 10-1, and the portable terminal device 12-3 can communicate only with the server device 10-2.

Therefore, when the content server connection request signal is transmitted from the portable terminal device 12-1 to the server device 10-1, the server 10-1 transmits the communication server to the server device 10-1.
A connection server signal for setting to -1 is transmitted to the portable terminal device 12-1. When a content server connection request signal is transmitted from the portable terminal device 12-3 to the server device 10-2,
A connection server signal for changing the communication server to the server device 10-2 is transmitted from the server device 10-2 to the portable terminal device 12-3.

Further, when a content server connection request signal is transmitted from the portable terminal device 12-2 to the server device 10-1, the communication load on the server device 10-1 is reduced.
0-2 and the portable terminal device 12-1, and the communication load on the server device 10-2 is due to the server device 10-1 and the portable terminal device 12-3. It is determined that the same communication load is applied to the server devices 10-1 and 10-2. Therefore, since the communication speed is faster when the communication server and the content server are the same server device, the connection server signal for changing the communication server to the server device 10-1 is transmitted from the server device 10-1 to the mobile terminal device. It is transmitted to 12-2.

Then, a communication server connection request signal using the server device 10-1 as a communication server and a content server is transmitted from the portable terminal devices 12-1 and 12-2 to the server device 10-1. Further, the server device 1 is transmitted from the mobile terminal device 12-3.
A communication server connection request signal is transmitted to the server device 10-2, where 0-2 is a communication server and a content server. Therefore, the server device 10-1 is connected to the portable terminal devices 12-1 and 12-2.
The server device 10-2 recognizes that it is both a content server and a communication server.
It recognizes both the content server of 2-3 and the communication server.

Then, the server device 10-1 transmits a terminal connection signal to the portable terminal devices 12-1 and 12-2, and the portable terminal devices 12-1 and 12-2 connect the server device 10-1 to the communication server and the content. When the server shifts to a data communication state and is operated to receive data, the local information is directly received from the server device 10-1 and output. Further, the server device 10-2 transmits a terminal connection signal to the mobile terminal device 12-3, and the mobile terminal device 12-3 shifts to the data communication state using the server device 10-2 as a communication server and a content server, and When the operation is performed to receive the local information, the local information is directly received from the server device 10-2 and output.

As described above, the server device 10-1 and the portable terminal devices 12-1 and 12-2 form one ad hoc network, and the server device 10-2 and the portable terminal device 12-3 constitute one ad hoc network. Form a network. At this time, as shown in FIG. 9, the mobile terminal device 12-4 enters the area where the ad hoc network areas 11-1 and 11-2 of the server devices 10-1 and 10-2 overlap, and the server device 1
It is assumed that a content server connection request signal whose content server is 0-1 is transmitted.

At this time, the server device 10-1 determines that its own device communicating with the server device 10-2 and the portable terminal devices 12-1 and 12-2 has a larger communication load, and Is transmitted to the portable terminal device 12-4 for instructing the portable terminal device 12-4 to be the server device 10-2. In the portable terminal device 12-4, the content server is the server device 10-1, and the communication server is the server device 10-1.
-2 is transmitted to the server device 10-2.

The server device 10-2 that has received the communication server connection request signal has its own device serving as the communication server of the portable terminal device 12-4 and the server device 10-1 serving as the content server of the portable terminal device 12-4. It recognizes that it will be, and acquires local information from the server device 10-1, and stores it in the proxy server data storage unit 309 (FIG. 3). Then, the server device 10-2 transmits a terminal connection signal to the portable terminal device 12-4, and the portable terminal device 12-4 uses the server device 10-1 as a content server and the server device 10-2 as a communication server. Move to the data communication state. Thereafter, when the portable terminal device 12-4 is operated to receive data, the portable terminal device 12-4 receives and outputs the local information from the server device 10-1 via the server device 10-2.

Therefore, the portable terminal device 12-4 forms one ad hoc network with the server devices 10-1 and 10-2. At this time, as in FIG. 8, the server device 10-1 and the portable terminal devices 12-1 and 12-2 form one ad hoc network, and the server device 10-1
-2 and the portable terminal device 12-3 form one ad hoc network.

[0078]

According to the present invention, in a space where a plurality of communication networks based on a plurality of server devices exist,
A terminal device in the space can receive information unique to each server device from an arbitrary server device in an adjacent communicable area. Therefore, the server device that communicates with the terminal device can be different from the server device that requests reception of the unique information. In addition, the server device having the lowest communication load can be set as the server device that communicates with the terminal device, so that the communication load of the server device that has a large number of unique information reception requests can be dispersed. Therefore, an efficient communication network system can be constructed as a whole.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication network system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a communication control device constituting the communication network system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration when the communication control device in FIG. 2 is a server device.

4 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration when the communication control device of FIG. 2 is a portable terminal device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the portable terminal device in FIG. 3 in a standby state.

6 is a flowchart showing an operation of the portable terminal device of FIG. 3 in a data communication state.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the server device of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an operation of the communication network system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an operation of the communication network system of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 10-1 to 10-n Server device 11-1 to 11-n Ad hoc network area 12-1 to 12-m Portable terminal device 201 CPU 202 ROM 203 RAM 204 Input unit 205 Output unit 206 I / O device 207 Storage device 208 Communication device 209 Antenna 301 Control unit 302 Communication control unit 303 Communication data transmission / reception unit 304 Communication load measurement unit 305 Connection server determination unit 306 Connection host management unit 307 Application control unit 308 Server data storage unit 309 Proxy server data storage unit 401 Control unit 402 Communication control unit 403 Communication data transmission / reception unit 404 Connection server search unit 405 Connection server management unit 406 Application control unit 407 Content server selection unit 408 Output data storage unit 409 Data output unit

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. n (n is a natural number) for transmitting unique information
In a communication network system comprising: a plurality of server devices; and m (m is a natural number) terminal devices that receive the unique information transmitted from the server device within the communicable area of the server device, (K is a natural number of 1 ≦ k ≦ n) in the communicable area of the server devices, and receives the unique information transmitted from one server device as a content server from the k server devices. When there is a terminal device requesting that the server device serving as the content server requested to be received by the terminal device has a communication load higher than that of k server devices capable of communicating with the terminal device including its own device. The lowest server device is selected as the communication server, and the server device serving as the content server is the server device serving as the communication server. When the server directly communicates with the terminal device that requests to receive the unique information, and when the server device as the communication server is a server device other than the own device, the server as the communication server A communication network system for performing communication with a terminal device that requests to receive the unique information via a device. 2. First, the terminal device connects to the first server device, which is a content server for requesting reception of the unique information, from among the k server devices capable of communicating with the first server device. A request signal is transmitted. Next, the first server device that has received the content server connection request signal selects a second server device to be the communication server from the k server devices that can communicate with the terminal device. And transmitting a connection server signal for instructing communication with the second server device to the terminal device. Next, the terminal device transmits to the second server device indicated by the connection server signal. Transmitting a communication server connection request signal for instructing the terminal device to transmit the unique information transmitted by the first server device. Finally, the second server device and the The communication network system according to claim 1, wherein the communication network is established by mutually recognizing that the terminal devices are in a communicable state. 3. When the second server device is a server device different from the first server device, the unique information transmitted by the first server device is temporarily stored. A communication network system according to claim 1. 4. The load on communication of the server device is as follows:
4. The communication network system according to claim 1, wherein the number is based on the number of other server devices and terminal devices communicatively connected to the server device. 5. A terminal device for receiving the unique information by communicating with one of a plurality of server devices transmitting the unique information, the terminal device being capable of communicating including a server device for requesting reception of the unique information. A connection server search unit for searching for a plurality of server devices; a communication data transmission / reception unit for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the server device; and managing roles of the plurality of server devices searched for by the connection server search unit. A connection server management unit, an output data storage unit for storing the unique information, and an output unit for outputting the unique information stored in the output data storage unit. Among the plurality of server devices, the server device for making a request to receive the unique information is set and managed by the connection server management unit as a content server,
A content server connection request signal for requesting the server device serving as the content server to receive the unique information is transmitted from the communication data transmission / reception unit. When a connection server signal indicating a server device serving as a communication server transmitting the unique information of the server device is received from the server device serving as the content server, the server device serving as the communication server is connected to the connection server device management unit. And a communication server connection request signal for instructing the server device serving as the communication server to transmit the unique information transmitted by the server device serving as the content server. Unit, and finally, the server A data communication in which a terminal connection signal indicating the establishment is received by the communication data transmitting / receiving unit, and the unique information from the server device serving as the content server can be received from the server device serving as the communication server A terminal device, wherein the terminal device is enabled. 6. After the data communication is enabled, when data communication is input, the unique information of the server device serving as the content server is provided to the server device serving as the communication server. The method according to claim 5, wherein after transmitting a data communication request signal for requesting transmission of the content server, the unique information of the server device serving as the content server is received from the server device serving as the communication server. The terminal device as described in the above. 7. After receiving all of the unique information of the server device serving as the content server, when requesting the unique information by using another server device as a content server, the content server is changed from the data communicable state to the content server. The terminal device according to claim 5, wherein the terminal device is in a standby state for setting a server device serving as a server and a server device serving as the communication server. 8. A server device capable of transmitting unique information and communicating with a plurality of terminal devices, a unique information storage unit for storing the unique information, and transmission and reception of signals between the plurality of server devices and the terminal device. A communication data transmitting / receiving unit for performing communication, a plurality of other server devices communicating with the own device and a communication load measuring unit for measuring a load on communication of the own device, and a request for receiving the unique information. For each terminal device,
A connection server determination unit that uses, as a communication server, a server device having the lowest load measured by the communication load measurement unit among server devices that can be connected to the terminal devices including the own device; and communicates with the own device. A connection host management unit for performing role management of a plurality of other server devices, and a content server connection for requesting reception of the unique information as a content server from one of the terminal devices. When the request signal is received from the communication data transmitting / receiving unit, the communication load measuring unit measures a load on communication of a plurality of server devices connectable to the terminal device including the own device, and then determines the connection server. The server device with the lowest load in the unit is a communication server, and the connection host management unit sets and manages the server device to be a communication server, and the communication data transmission / reception unit A server device for transmitting, to the terminal device, a connection server signal for instructing a server device serving as the communication server to make a communication request. 9. A proxy for storing the unique information of another server device set in the content server when the content server is a server device other than the own device and is set as the communication server. A communication server connection request signal for instructing the terminal device to transmit the unique information transmitted by the other server device serving as the content server from the terminal device; Upon receipt, the connection host management unit sets and manages a server device serving as a content server, and the communication data transmitting / receiving unit receives the unique information from another server device serving as the content server, and the proxy server data The server device according to claim 8, wherein the server device is stored in a storage unit. 10. When the communication data transmitting / receiving unit receives a data communication request signal for requesting to transmit the unique information of the server device serving as the content server from the terminal device, 10. The server device according to claim 8, wherein the unique information of the server device serving as the content server is transmitted to the server.