JP2006270624A - Communication terminal apparatus, method for connecting communication line to be used for the same, and control program for connection of communication line - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a set-top box which can be used in an environment where connection to the Internet with wire is difficult. <P>SOLUTION: A URL address for making access to a desired server by performing connection through the Internet network NW is inputted by its user's operating an input unit 13. Next, the set-top box is connected with wire to the radio base station 30 of a mobile data communication network MW from a connection 11 with respect to the mobile data communication network through an antenna 11a, and is connected to the Internet network NW. Based on the inputted URL address, the Internet network NW is accessed through the communication network MW, and homepage information at the address is received. The received homepage information is converted by a display conversion portion 14, and a homepage screen h for displaying it on a television set 20 is created. The homepage screen h is displayed on the television set 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication terminal device, a communication line connection method and a communication line connection control program used for the communication terminal device, and more particularly as a set-top box that receives homepage information from a server on the Internet and displays it on a television device. The present invention relates to a communication terminal device suitable for use, a communication line connection method and a communication line connection control program used for the communication terminal device.

  A set-top box is a communication terminal device that is connected to a television device at home and receives various multimedia services via the Internet and displays it on the television device. Conventionally, the set-top box is connected to a cable television network. And ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) connection to a fixed telephone line network and wired connection to the Internet. Some set-top boxes display a homepage screen displayed on a personal computer connected to an ADSL line on a television set.

This type of set-top box is conventionally used in an environment as shown in FIG. 4, for example.
That is, a modem 2 is connected to a telephone terminal 1 connected to a fixed telephone line network. A home gateway (HGW) 3 is connected to the modem 2, and a set top box 6 is connected to the HGW 3 via a telephone 4, a personal computer 5, and a connection cable C. A television set 7 is connected to the set top box 6. In this environment, homepage information from a server on the Internet is demodulated by the modem 2 via the telephone terminal 1, converted into a protocol corresponding to the set top box 6 by the HGW 3, and sent from the set top box 6 to the television device 7. The homepage screen is displayed.

In addition to the above set-top box, conventionally, this type of technology has been described in, for example, the following documents.
In the information output system described in Patent Document 1, a terminal device is wired to an ISP (Internet Service Provider) and requests a data signal of content from a server via the Internet. The terminal device converts the data signal into a data signal such as a display size and a display color corresponding to the television device. A video signal generated based on the converted data signal is supplied to the television apparatus.

The multi-function communication terminal device described in Patent Document 2 is connected to an Internet server through a public line (fixed telephone line network), and a home page address is instructed by a home page address instruction means. Based on the information instructed by the homepage address instruction means, the homepage information of the homepage address is acquired by the control means. The acquired homepage information is converted into image information by the image conversion means. The image information is displayed by image display means.
JP 2001-147876 A (Abstract, FIG. 1) JP 2004-193982 (abstract, FIG. 1)

However, the conventional communication terminal apparatus has the following problems.
That is, in the set top box 6 in FIG. 4, since it is necessary to provide the connection cable C from the HGW 3 to the set top box 6, the connection cable C may be used depending on the location where the television apparatus 7 is installed. In addition to the problem that it becomes long and complicated, there is a problem that it cannot be used when the user does not draw a fixed telephone line network. In order to use a mobile data communication network (mobile communication line), connect a mobile phone to a PC or insert a mobile data communication card into the PC and display the screen on the TV screen via the PC. There is a problem that it becomes complicated.

  Further, in the information output system described in Patent Document 1, since the connection from the terminal device to the ISP is wired, the above problem is not improved.

  In addition, since the multi-function communication terminal device described in Patent Document 2 is connected to an Internet server through a public line, and this connection is wired, the above problem is improved as in Patent Document 1. Not.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and can be used without a long connecting cable from the HGW to the set top box, and even when a fixed telephone line network is not drawn, without using a personal computer. However, it aims at providing the communication terminal device from which a homepage screen can be obtained.

  In order to solve the above problems, the invention described in claim 1 is to access the Internet, receive homepage information from a desired server on the Internet, send the received homepage information to a television device, and display a homepage screen. There is provided homepage information receiving means for connecting to a communication terminal device to be displayed, wirelessly connecting to a mobile communication line, accessing the Internet, and receiving the homepage information from the server on the Internet via the mobile communication line. It is characterized by being.

  A second aspect of the present invention relates to the communication terminal apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the home page information receiving means includes a mobile communication line connection means for wirelessly connecting the communication terminal apparatus to the mobile communication line, and the mobile communication line. Access means for accessing the Internet via the Internet, input means for inputting an Internet address for accessing the desired server, and receiving the homepage information from the server via the mobile communication line, And a display conversion device for displaying the homepage screen on the television device.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the communication terminal device according to the second aspect, wherein a TV tuner that receives TV radio waves and outputs TV screen information, and a TV corresponding to the TV screen information output from the TV tuner. A video output device is provided that synthesizes the screen and the homepage screen output from the display conversion device, or selects one of them and sends it to the television device for display.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the communication terminal apparatus according to the first, second, or third aspect, wherein the mobile communication line has a radio base station for the homepage information receiving means to wirelessly connect. It is a feature.

  The invention according to claim 5 relates to a communication line connection method, accesses the Internet, receives homepage information from a desired server on the Internet, sends the received homepage information to a television device, and displays a homepage screen. The communication terminal device is used to access the Internet by wireless connection to a mobile communication line, and receives the homepage information from the server on the Internet via the mobile communication line.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the communication line connection method according to the fifth aspect, wherein input processing for inputting an Internet address for accessing the desired server and wireless connection of the communication terminal device to the mobile communication line Mobile communication line connection processing, access processing for accessing the Internet via the mobile communication line, receiving the homepage information from the server via the mobile communication line, converting the homepage information and converting the television A conversion process for displaying the homepage screen on the apparatus is performed.

  A seventh aspect of the invention relates to a communication line connection control program, which causes a computer to control the communication terminal device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects.

  According to the configuration of the present invention, a communication terminal device is wirelessly connected to a mobile communication line, accesses the Internet, receives homepage information from a desired server on the Internet via the mobile communication line, and receives the received homepage. Sends information to the TV device and displays the homepage screen, eliminating the need for a connection cable for wired connection to the Internet, and providing the homepage screen even when there is no fixed telephone network or PC . Since the TV tuner and the video output device are provided, the TV screen and the homepage screen can be obtained simultaneously.

  Provided is a communication terminal device for receiving homepage information by wirelessly connecting to a mobile communication line used for mobile phone communication and accessing the Internet.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an electrical configuration of a main part of a communication terminal apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention and an environment in which the communication terminal apparatus is used.
As shown in the figure, the communication terminal device of this example is a set top box 10, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10 a, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 10 b, and a portable data communication network connection unit 11. , The Internet access unit 12, the input unit 13, and the display conversion unit 14. The set-top box 10 is connected to a general-use television device 20. The set top box 10 is wirelessly connected to the wireless base station 30 of the portable data communication network MW. The mobile data communication network MW is composed of a plurality of radio base stations (not shown), a mobile communication control station, a mobile communication switching center in the area, a gateway mobile communication switching station, a normal telephone line, and the like in addition to the wireless base station 30. Wired connection to the Internet network NW.

  The CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10a controls the entire set top box 10. The ROM 10b stores a communication line connection control program for operating the CPU 10a. The portable data communication network connection unit 11 wirelessly connects to the wireless base station 30 of the portable data communication network MW, and transmits / receives a radio wave W to / from the wireless base station 30 via the antenna 11a. The internet access unit 12 accesses the internet network NW via the portable data communication network MW. The input unit 13 is configured by, for example, a key switch, and a URL for connecting the set top box 10 to the Internet network NW via the portable data communication network MW and accessing a desired server by a user operation. (Uniform Resource Locator) Enter an address.

  The display conversion unit 14 receives homepage information from the server via the portable data communication network MW, converts the homepage information, and causes the television device 20 to display the homepage screen h. The CPU 10a, the ROM 10b, the portable data communication network connection unit 11, the Internet access unit 12, the input unit 13, and the display conversion unit 14 wirelessly connect to the portable data communication network MW to access the Internet network NW. Homepage information receiving means for receiving homepage information from a server on the NW via the portable data communication network MW is configured.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the set top box 10 of FIG.
With reference to these drawings, processing contents of the communication line connection method used for the set top box 10 of this example will be described.
The set top box 10 is wirelessly connected to the mobile data communication network MW to access the Internet NW, and receives homepage information from a server on the Internet NW via the mobile data communication network MW. The received homepage information is sent to the television device 20 and a homepage screen is displayed.

  That is, when the user operates the input unit 13, a URL address (Internet address) for connecting via the Internet NW and accessing a desired server is input (step A 1, input processing). Next, the mobile data communication network connection unit 11 is wirelessly connected to the wireless base station 30 of the mobile data communication network MW via the antenna 11a and connected to the Internet network NW (step A2, mobile communication line connection processing). Based on the input URL address, the Internet network NW is accessed via the portable data communication network MW (step A3, access processing), and homepage information (display data) at the address is received. The received homepage information (display data) is converted by the display conversion unit 14 to create a homepage screen h for display on the television device 20 (step A4, conversion process). The homepage screen h is displayed on the television device 20 (step A5).

  As described above, in the first embodiment, the set-top box 10 is wirelessly connected to the portable data communication network MW to access the Internet NW, and a server on the Internet NW passes through the portable data communication network MW. The homepage information is received, and the received homepage information is transmitted to the television device 20 to display the homepage screen h. Therefore, no connection cable for the HGW is required, and even if there is no fixed telephone network or personal computer, the homepage is displayed. A screen is obtained.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an electrical configuration of a main part of a communication terminal apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention and an environment in which the communication terminal apparatus is used. FIG. 3 shows the first embodiment in FIG. Elements common to elements are denoted by common reference numerals.
As shown in FIG. 3, the communication terminal device of this example is a set-top box 10A, and is provided with a television tuner 15 and a video output device 16. The TV tuner 15 receives TV radio waves via the antenna 15a and outputs TV screen information v. The video output device 16 combines the TV screen corresponding to the TV screen information v output from the TV tuner 15 and the homepage screen h output from the display conversion unit 14, or selects one and sends it to the TV device 20. To display. The other configuration is the same as that shown in FIG.

  In this set top box 10A, since the TV tuner 15 and the video output device 16 are provided, in addition to the advantages of the first embodiment, a TV screen and a homepage screen can be obtained simultaneously.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to the embodiment, and even if there is a design change without departing from the gist of the present invention, Included in the invention.
For example, when the homepage screen h is displayed on the television device 20, sound corresponding to the homepage screen h may be output at the same time. In the above embodiment, the user operates the input unit 13 so that the set-top box 10 is connected to the Internet network NW. Also good. Further, a keyword for receiving homepage information from a server on the Internet network NW is input and held in a table, and the Internet network NW is automatically searched based on the table to receive the homepage information. good.

  The present invention can be applied to all communication terminal devices used in an environment where it is difficult to make a wired connection to the Internet, such as a place where it is difficult to extend a connection cable.

It is a figure which shows the electrical structure of the principal part of the communication terminal device which is 1st Example of this invention, and the environment where this communication terminal device is used. It is a flowchart explaining operation | movement of the communication terminal device of FIG. It is a figure which shows the electrical structure of the principal part of the communication terminal device which is 2nd Example of this invention, and the environment where this communication terminal device is used. It is a figure which shows the environment where the conventional set top box is used.

Explanation of symbols

10, 10A set-top box (communication terminal equipment)
10a CPU (central processing unit) (part of homepage information receiving means)
10b ROM (read only memory) (part of homepage information receiving means)
11 Mobile data communication network connection part (part of homepage information reception means, mobile communication line connection means)
12 Internet Access Department (part of website information receiving means, access means)
13 Input unit (part of homepage information receiving means, input means, display conversion device)
14 Display converter (part of homepage information receiving means)
15 TV tuner 16 Video output device 20 TV device 30 Wireless base station (part of mobile communication line)
MW mobile data communication network (mobile communication line)
NW Internet network (Internet)

Claims (7)

A communication terminal device for accessing the Internet, receiving homepage information from a desired server on the Internet, sending the received homepage information to a television device and displaying a homepage screen,
A communication terminal comprising: homepage information receiving means for wirelessly connecting to a mobile communication line to access the Internet and receiving the homepage information from the server on the Internet via the mobile communication line apparatus. The homepage information receiving means
Mobile communication line connection means for wirelessly connecting the communication terminal device to the mobile communication line;
Access means for accessing the Internet via the mobile communication line;
Input means for inputting an internet address for accessing the desired server;
2. A display conversion device that receives the homepage information from the server via the mobile communication line, converts the homepage information, and displays the homepage screen on the television device. The communication terminal device described. A TV tuner that receives TV signals and outputs TV screen information;
A video output device for synthesizing a television screen corresponding to the television screen information output from the television tuner and the homepage screen output from the display conversion device, or selecting one to send to the television device for display; The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the communication terminal apparatus is provided. The mobile communication line is
4. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the homepage information receiving means has a wireless base station for wireless connection. Used for a communication terminal device that accesses the Internet and receives homepage information from a desired server on the Internet, sends the received homepage information to a television device, and displays a homepage screen.
A communication line connection method comprising: wirelessly connecting to a mobile communication line, accessing the Internet, and receiving the homepage information from the server on the Internet via the mobile communication line. An input process for inputting an Internet address for accessing the desired server;
A mobile communication line connection process for wirelessly connecting the communication terminal device to the mobile communication line;
An access process for accessing the Internet via the mobile communication line;
6. The communication according to claim 5, wherein the homepage information is received from the server via the mobile communication line, and the homepage information is converted and a conversion process for displaying the homepage screen on the television device is performed. Line connection method.   A communication line connection control program for causing a computer to control the communication terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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