JP2007089196A - Location information data transmission method, data repeating apparatus and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a common platform for providing location information which corresponds to network integration. <P>SOLUTION: A location information providing unit 40b of a gateway server 40 obtains from a position measuring center 50 the location information of mobile terminals 10, 20, 30. The location information of each mobile terminal is generated in different representational formats. The obtained location information is converted into representational formats that are capable of being handled by IP servers 80A, 80B, ... via a location information converting unit 60, and the converted location information is notified to the IP servers 80A, 80B, .... Thus, the IP servers 80A, 80B, ... can obtain the location information of the mobile terminals 10, 20, 30 without being conscious of the difference in the representational formats. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a location information notification method and a location information notification device for notifying location information of a mobile communication terminal.

  A mobile communication network such as a cellular telephone can grasp where the mobile communication terminal is currently located. In recent years, various systems for providing information providing services using position information acquired in this type of mobile communication network have been proposed. For example, in a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) network, it is possible to grasp in which radio zone a mobile communication terminal is currently located, and a system that provides a location tracking service using this location information. Are known. There has also been proposed a system in which a GPS (Global Positioning System) is mounted on a mobile communication terminal and position information obtained thereby is used.

  By the way, the position information of the acquired mobile communication terminal differs in expression format depending on the position detection method adopted by the mobile communication network. For example, in the above-described PHS network, it is in the form of identification information (hereinafter referred to as a base station ID) for identifying a base station that manages a wireless zone in which a mobile communication terminal is located. This is the latitude / longitude format obtained by positioning the terminal.

  On the other hand, even in a computer system that provides various services using the position information, the expression format, accuracy, and communication protocol of the desired position information are different. For example, depending on the application of the computer system, there are cases where it is desired to handle the position information in the expression format of latitude and longitude, and there are cases where it is desired to handle the information in an expression format corresponding to the administrative division. In addition, for example, a computer system that provides a position tracking service or the like requires relatively high-accuracy position information, whereas a computer system that provides weather forecast information according to the position of a mobile communication terminal has a relatively low-accuracy position information. Only information is needed. Furthermore, even if the mobile communication terminal side and the computer system side share the same location information representation format, the communication protocol supported by the computer system application determines how the computer system acquires the location information. It depends on. FIG. 30 is a diagram illustrating various description formats of position information when the information resource of the computer system specified by the URL acquires the position information from the mobile communication terminal. As shown in the figure, the location where a CGI (Common Gateway Interface) script, which is a processing program specified by a URL, is stored, the file name of the CGI script, the method of specifying an argument, etc. are different depending on each computer system. .

  As described above, if the expression format and the communication protocol of the position information are different depending on the mobile communication network and the computer using the same, it is not possible to provide a service corresponding to network integration that has been rapidly progressing in recent years.

  The present invention has been made under such a background. In order to provide a common platform for providing location information corresponding to network integration, the location information of mobile communication terminals obtained in various representation formats and accuracy is provided. It is an object of the present invention to provide a position information notification method and apparatus that can be supplied with an expression format and accuracy that can be handled by a computer using this.

  A second object of the present invention is to supply position information of a mobile communication terminal to various computers as a standard interface protocol in a form independent of the specifications of the mobile communication terminal.

  Furthermore, if the location information of the mobile communication terminal is provided to various computers in an open form, a new problem relating to user privacy occurs, and sufficient security measures are required for its handling. For this reason, a third object of the present invention is to ensure security relating to location information of a mobile communication terminal.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 is a position information for notifying a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating a mobile communication terminal capable of wireless communication. In the notification method, the computer to be notified of the location information includes a first computer capable of handling the location information in a first representation format, and a first computer capable of handling the location information in a second representation format. A plurality of computers including two computers, detecting a position of the mobile communication terminal and generating the position information; and, when notifying the first computer of the position information, When converting the generated representation format to the first representation format, while reporting the location information to the second computer, the location information A position information converting step of converting the made representation format to the second representation format, characterized in that it comprises a location information notification step of notifying the location information converting the representation format to the computer.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification method according to the first aspect, the mobile communication network includes a first mobile communication network and a second mobile communication network that are different in the expression format of the generated position information. The position information generating step generates position information of mobile communication terminals belonging to the first mobile communication network in a third expression format, while the second mobile communication network If the position information of the mobile communication terminal belonging to the first mobile communication network is notified to the computer, the position information conversion step generates the position information of the mobile communication terminal belonging to If the information is converted from the third representation format to a representation format that can be handled by the computer, while the location information of the mobile communication terminal belonging to the second mobile communication network is notified to the computer, the location The computer broadcast from the fourth expression format of and converting the expression format which can be handled.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the location information notification method according to the first or second aspect, the first or second expression format is expressed by a format expressed by latitude and longitude information and an administrative division. It is one of the formats.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification method according to the second aspect, the third or the fourth representation format is a format represented by identification information given to a base station of the mobile communication network. A format expressed by identification information given to a predetermined number of radio communication zones of the base station, a format expressed by identification information given to a partial area of the radio zone of the base station, latitude and longitude It is one of the formats expressed by information.

  The invention according to claim 5 is a position information notification method for notifying a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating mobile communication terminals capable of wireless communication, A position information generating step for detecting the position of the communication terminal and generating position information with an accuracy required by the computer; and a position information notifying step for notifying the computer of the generated position information. And

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification method according to the fifth aspect, the positional information with the accuracy required by the computer is a positional information expressed by latitude and longitude information and an administrative division. It includes any one of information.

  The invention according to claim 7 is a position information notification method for notifying a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating mobile communication terminals capable of wireless communication, A position information generating step for detecting the position of the communication terminal to generate position information; and the generated position information by adding the generated position information to data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer. A position information notification step of notifying the computer of the position information.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the location information notification method according to claim 7, wherein the location information notification step includes a step of notifying the mobile communication terminal of the location information addition method from the computer, The generated position information is notified in accordance with the notified addition method.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification method according to the eighth aspect, the position information notifying step includes a step of detecting a predetermined data string in data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer. And the step of replacing the predetermined data string with the position information and transmitting it to the computer.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification method according to the ninth aspect, the predetermined data string is included in data transmitted from the computer to the mobile communication terminal, and In the information notification step, the mobile communication terminal detects the data string in the process of returning the data transmitted from the computer, and replaces the data with the position information.

  The invention according to claim 11 is a position information notification method for notifying a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating mobile communication terminals capable of wireless communication, wherein the computer Receiving a request signal for requesting acquisition of position information of the mobile communication terminal from, a position information generating step for detecting position of the mobile communication terminal according to the request signal and generating position information, and And a position information notifying step for notifying the computer of the position information.

  The invention described in claim 12 is the positional information notification method according to claim 11, wherein identification information of the mobile communication terminal is added to the data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer. An identification information adding step for transmitting, wherein the position information generating step specifies a mobile communication terminal that is to generate the position information based on the identification information included in the request signal by the computer. Is generated.

  According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification method according to the twelfth aspect, the identification information adding step detects a predetermined data string in data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer. And a step of replacing the predetermined data string with the identification information.

  According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification method according to the thirteenth aspect, the predetermined data string is included in data transmitted from the computer to the mobile communication terminal, and the identification The information adding step is characterized in that the data string is detected and replaced with the identification information in the process in which the mobile communication terminal returns data transmitted from the computer.

  A fifteenth aspect of the present invention is the position information notification method according to any one of the seventh to fourteenth aspects, further comprising a notification availability determination step for determining whether or not the position information may be notified to the computer. In the position information notifying step, the position information is notified based on the determination result in the notification availability determining step.

  According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification method according to the fifteenth aspect, public information regarding whether or not the computer is a target of disclosure of the positional information is stored in advance by a predetermined storage unit, and The notification availability determination step is characterized in that the determination is performed with reference to the public information stored in the storage unit for the computer that is the notification target of the position information.

  According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the location information notification method according to the sixteenth aspect, the public information is stored in advance by the predetermined storage unit for each mobile communication terminal, and the notification availability determination step includes: The determination is performed with reference to the public information stored in the storage unit for the computer to be notified of the location information.

  According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification method according to the fifteenth aspect, the notification availability determination step inquires of the mobile communication terminal whether or not the positional information may be notified to the computer. And a step of performing the determination based on response information from the mobile communication terminal with respect to the inquiry.

  According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification method according to the fifteenth aspect, terminal information regarding whether or not the position information is a mobile communication terminal that may be disclosed outside the mobile communication network is a predetermined value. Pre-stored by the storage means, and the notification availability determination step makes the determination with reference to the terminal information stored by the storage means for the mobile communication terminal related to the location information to be notified It is characterized by that.

  According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification method according to the fifteenth aspect, when it is determined that transmission is not possible in the notification propriety determination step, an error signal indicating that the notification of the positional information is not possible is provided. An error signal transmission step of transmitting to a mobile communication terminal or the computer is provided.

  According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification method according to any one of the seventh to fourteenth aspects, the input screen data for inputting designated positional information that can be specified by a user of the mobile communication terminal is moved. An input screen transmitting step for transmitting to the communication terminal; and a specified position information receiving step for receiving the specified position information input by the user from the mobile communication terminal, wherein the position information notifying step includes generating the position information The designated position information received in the designated position information receiving step is notified to the computer together with the position information generated in the step.

  According to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification method according to any of the seventh to fourteenth aspects, the mobile communication terminal includes a position measuring unit that measures its own position. A measurement position information reception step of receiving measurement position information related to the measured position of the mobile communication terminal from the mobile communication terminal, wherein the position information notification step is generated by the position information generation step together with the position information; The measurement position information received in the measurement position information receiving step is notified to the computer.

  A twenty-third aspect of the present invention is the location information notification method according to any one of the first to twenty-second aspects, wherein the computer provides the mobile communication terminal with location-related information related to the location of the mobile communication terminal. It is an information providing server.

  According to a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification method according to any one of the first to twenty-third aspects, the mobile communication terminal is a mobile phone that performs wireless telephone communication.

  The invention according to claim 25 is a position information notification device for notifying a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating mobile communication terminals capable of wireless communication, wherein the position information A computer to be notified of information includes a plurality of computers including a first computer capable of handling the position information in a first representation format and a second computer capable of handling the position information in a second representation format. The position information generating means for detecting the position of the mobile communication terminal and generating the position information; and when notifying the first computer of the position information, the position information is obtained from the generated expression format. In the case of converting to the first representation format and reporting the location information to the second computer, the location information is converted from the generated representation format to the second representation format. A position information converting means for converting the representation, characterized in that it comprises a location information notification means for notifying the location information converting the representation format to the computer.

  According to a twenty-sixth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification device according to the twenty-fifth aspect, the mobile communication network includes a first mobile communication network and a second mobile communication network that are different in the expression format of the generated position information. The location information generating means generates location information of mobile communication terminals belonging to the first mobile communication network in a third expression format, while the second mobile communication network If the location information conversion means notifies the computer of the location information of the mobile communication terminal belonging to the first mobile communication network, the location information of the mobile communication terminal that belongs to the first mobile communication network is generated. When the information is converted from the third representation format into a representation format that can be handled by the computer, while the location information of the mobile communication terminal belonging to the second mobile communication network is notified to the computer, the location information The fourth said computer from representation of and converting the expression format which can be handled.

  According to a twenty-seventh aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification device according to the twenty-fifth or twenty-sixth aspect, the first or second expression format is expressed by a format expressed by latitude and longitude information and an administrative division. It is one of the formats.

  According to a twenty-eighth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification device according to the twenty-sixth aspect, the third or the fourth expression format is a format expressed by identification information given to a base station of the mobile communication network. A format expressed by identification information given to a predetermined number of radio communication zones of the base station, a format expressed by identification information given to a partial area of the radio zone of the base station, latitude and longitude It is one of the formats expressed by information.

  The invention according to claim 29 is a position information notifying device for notifying a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating mobile communication terminals capable of wireless communication, It comprises position information generating means for detecting the position of a communication terminal and generating position information with the accuracy required by the computer, and position information notifying means for notifying the computer of the generated position information. And

  According to a thirty-third aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification device according to the twenty-ninth aspect, the positional information with the accuracy required by the computer is a position expressed by position information expressed by latitude and longitude information and an administrative division. It includes any one of information.

  The invention according to claim 31 is a position information notification device for notifying a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating mobile communication terminals capable of wireless communication, Position information generating means for detecting the position of the communication terminal and generating position information; and the generated position information by adding the generated position information to data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer. It is characterized by comprising position information notifying means for notifying the computer.

  According to a thirty-second aspect of the present invention, in the position information notifying device according to the thirty-first aspect, the position information notifying unit receives a notification indicating a method for adding the generated position information to the data from the computer. Receiving means for transmitting, and transmitting means for adding the position information generated by the method to the data and transmitting the data.

  According to a thirty-third aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification device according to the thirty-first aspect, the position information notifying unit detects a predetermined data string in data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer. And replacement means for replacing the predetermined data string with the position information and transmitting it to the computer.

  According to a thirty-fourth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification device according to the thirty-third aspect, the predetermined data string is included in data transmitted from the computer to the mobile communication terminal, The information notification means detects the data string in the process in which the mobile communication terminal returns data transmitted from the computer, and replaces it with the position information.

  The invention according to claim 35 is a position information notification device for notifying a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating mobile communication terminals capable of wireless communication, wherein the computer Receiving means for receiving a request signal for requesting acquisition of position information of the mobile communication terminal, position information generating means for detecting position of the mobile communication terminal according to the request signal and generating position information, and the generation And a position information notifying means for notifying the computer of the position information.

  The invention according to claim 36 is the positional information notification device according to claim 35, wherein identification information of the mobile communication terminal is added to the data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer. Identification information adding means for transmitting, wherein the position information generating means specifies a mobile communication terminal to generate the position information based on the identification information included in the request signal by the computer, and It is characterized by generating.

  According to a thirty-seventh aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification device according to the thirty-sixth aspect, the identification information adding means detects a predetermined data string in data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer. It comprises a detecting means and a replacing means for replacing the predetermined data string with the identification information.

  According to a thirty-eighth aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification device according to the thirty-seventh aspect, the predetermined data string is included in data transmitted from the computer to the mobile communication terminal, and the identification The information adding means detects the data string in the process in which the mobile communication terminal returns data transmitted from the computer, and replaces the data string with the identification information.

  The invention described in claim 39 is the position information notification device according to any one of claims 31 to 38, further comprising a notification availability determination means for determining whether or not the position information may be notified to the computer. The position information notification means notifies the position information based on a determination result by the notification availability determination means.

  The invention described in claim 40 is the positional information notification device according to claim 39, further comprising public information storage means for storing public information regarding whether or not the computer is a disclosure target of the positional information, and the notification The availability determination unit is configured to perform the determination with reference to the public information stored in the public information storage unit with respect to the computer to be notified of the position information.

  The invention according to claim 41 is the positional information notification device according to claim 40, wherein the public information storage means stores the public information for each mobile communication terminal, and the notification availability determination means The determination is made with reference to the public information stored in the public information storage means for the computer to be notified of position information.

  According to a forty-second aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification device according to the thirty-ninth aspect, the notification availability determination unit inquires of the mobile communication terminal whether or not the positional information may be notified to the computer. And means for performing the determination based on response information from the mobile communication terminal to the inquiry.

  In a 43th aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification device according to the 39th aspect, a terminal that stores terminal information related to whether or not the position information is a mobile communication terminal that may be disclosed outside the mobile communication network. An information storage unit, wherein the notification availability determination unit performs the determination with reference to the terminal information stored in the terminal information storage unit for the mobile communication terminal related to the location information to be notified It is characterized by that.

  According to a 44th aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification device according to the 39th aspect, an error signal indicating that notification of the positional information is not possible is performed when the notification availability determining unit determines that transmission is not possible. An error signal transmitting means for transmitting to a mobile communication terminal or the computer is provided.

  According to a 45th aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification device according to any one of the 31st to 38th aspects, the input screen data for inputting designated positional information that can be designated by a user of the mobile communication terminal is moved. An input screen transmitting means for transmitting to the communication terminal; and a specified position information receiving means for receiving the specified position information input by the user from the mobile communication terminal, wherein the position information notifying means is configured to generate the position information. Along with the position information generated by the means, the designated position information received by the designated position information receiving means is notified to the computer.

  According to a 46th aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification device according to any one of the 31st to 38th aspects, the mobile communication terminal includes a position measuring unit that measures its own position. Measurement position information receiving means for receiving measured position information related to the measured position of the mobile communication terminal from the mobile communication terminal, and the position information notification means together with the position information generated by the position information generation means The measurement position information received by the measurement position information receiving means is notified to the computer.

  According to a 47th aspect of the present invention, in the position information notification device according to any one of the 25th to 46th aspects, the computer provides the mobile communication terminal with position related information related to the position of the mobile communication terminal. It is an information providing server.

  According to a 48th aspect of the present invention, in the positional information notification device according to any one of the 25th to 47th aspects, the mobile communication terminal is a mobile phone that performs wireless telephone communication.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, the first embodiment: a form capable of notifying the computer of position information even if the expression format of the position information is different between the mobile communication terminal and the computer, the second embodiment: desired by the computer Form capable of notifying location information with accuracy, Third embodiment: Form capable of notifying various servers of the location information as a standard interface protocol while maintaining the security of the location information of the mobile communication terminal, These will be described in the following three forms. However, the first to third embodiments described below are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention can take various forms within the scope of the technical idea.

[A: First Embodiment]
In the first embodiment of the present invention, a mode will be described in which location information can be notified to a computer even if the expression format of the location information is different between the mobile communication terminal and the computer.
[A-1: Configuration of the first embodiment]
First, the configuration of the present embodiment will be described.
[1. Overall network configuration]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a network according to the embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a simple mobile phone accommodated in a simple mobile phone network 12 called a PHS (Personal Handyphone System). The simple mobile phone 10 can perform wireless communication with the base station 11 of the simple mobile phone network 12 and receive a PHS telephone communication service.

  Reference numeral 20 denotes a mobile phone accommodated in a mobile phone network 22 such as a PDC (Personal Digital Cellular). The mobile phone 20 performs wireless communication with the base station 21 of the mobile phone network 22 and can receive a mobile phone service such as PDC. The simple mobile phone network 12 and the mobile phone network 22 are connected via a gateway device (not shown) and can be connected to each other by telephone.

  A mobile phone 30 is accommodated in the mobile packet communication network 32. The mobile phone 30 can perform wireless communication with the base station 31 of the mobile packet communication network 32 and receive a packet communication service of the mobile packet communication network 30. Further, the mobile phone 30 includes a GPS receiver 34, and can measure the latitude and longitude.

  A gateway server 40 relays data communication between the mobile packet communication network 32 and an external network such as the Internet 70. In addition to the data relay unit 40a responsible for relaying the data communication, the gateway server 40 includes IP (Information Provider) servers 80A and 80B in which the location information of each of the portable devices 10, 20, and 30 is connected to the Internet 70. The position information providing unit 40b for notifying the computer is provided. The position information providing unit 40b includes a latitude / longitude providing target list table to be described later.

  Reference numeral 50 denotes a positioning center which acquires and stores position information of each portable device 10, 20, 30. That is, with respect to the current position of the simple mobile phone 10, the simple mobile phone network 12 can detect in which base station 11 the radio zone of each simple mobile phone 10 is currently located. The positioning center 50 acquires the detection result from the simple mobile phone network 12 and associates the identification information of each simple mobile phone 10 with the identification information of the base station 11 in which the mobile phone 10 is located (ie, the base station ID). Store in the station ID table 50a. As for the current position of the mobile phone 20, the mobile phone network 22 can detect in which service area each mobile phone 20 is currently located. Here, the service area refers to an area defined by a predetermined number of radio zones of the base stations 21. The positioning center 50 acquires the detection result from the mobile phone network 22 and associates the identification information of each mobile phone 20 with the identification information (ie, area ID) of the service area in which the mobile phone 20 is located, and stores it in the area ID table 50b. Remember. Further, with respect to the current position of the mobile phone 30, the mobile packet communication network 32 can detect in which radio station sector of the base station 31 each mobile phone 30 is currently located. Here, the sector refers to a partial area of the radio zone divided by the directional antenna of the base station 31. The positioning center 50 acquires the detection result from the mobile packet communication network 32, associates the identification information of each mobile phone 30 with the identification information of the sector in which the mobile phone 30 is located (ie, sector ID), and stores it in the sector ID table 50c. Remember.

  In addition, the positioning center 50 includes a GPS correction unit 50d that corrects the GPS measurement value of the mobile phone 30 using the D (Differential) -GPS method. The GPS correction unit 50d acquires the GPS measurement value of the mobile phone 30 via the mobile packet communication network 32, and corrects this measurement value based on its own GPS measurement error. The latitude / longitude information as the correction result is stored in a latitude / longitude table (not shown) in the GPS correction unit 50d in association with the identification information of each mobile phone 30. As described above, in the present embodiment, the position information of each portable device 10, 20, 30 is acquired from each network 12, 22, 32 in a different expression format.

  Reference numeral 60 denotes a position information conversion device that converts position information. This location information conversion device 60 is based on a conversion table, which will be described later, and receives the location information of each portable device 10, 20, 30 having a different representation format acquired from each network 12, 22, 32 from an IP connected to the Internet 70. The information is converted into position information in an expression format that can be handled by each computer such as the servers 80A and 80B. With this position information conversion device 60, each computer that requests acquisition of position information can receive supply of position information of each portable device 10, 20, 30 without being aware of the difference in expression format. The IP servers 80A and 80B that have acquired the position information provide the mobile devices 10, 20, and 30 with position related information related to the position information.

[2. Configuration of portable device]
Next, the configuration of the portable devices 10, 20, and 30 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the simple mobile phone 10. In the figure, a simple mobile phone 10 is configured by connecting a control unit 10A, a radio unit 10B, and a user interface unit 10C to each other via a bus. The control unit 10A includes a CPU, a memory, and the like, and controls each unit of the simple mobile phone 10. The wireless unit 10B performs wireless communication of voice signals and various control signals with the base station 11 to enable wireless communication. The user interface unit 10C includes a microphone and a speaker that provide voice input and output for a call, an operation panel for dial operation, a liquid crystal display unit, and the like. The configuration of the mobile phone 20 is the same as the configuration shown in FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the mobile phone 30. In the figure, a cellular phone 30 is configured by connecting a control unit 30A, a radio unit 30B, a user interface unit 30C, and a GPS receiver 34 to each other via a bus. This mobile phone 30 is different from the other mobile devices 10 and 20 in that the object of wireless communication is not so-called voice call but packet data communication, and a GPS receiver 34 is provided. The GPS receiver 34 calculates the latitude / longitude of the mobile phone 30 based on a signal received from a satellite (not shown). The measured values of latitude / longitude are transmitted from the radio unit 30B and are transmitted to the positioning center 50 via the mobile packet communication network 32 as described above, and subjected to D-GPS correction.

[3. Configuration of location information conversion table]
Next, with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, the conversion table provided in the position information conversion device 60 will be described. FIG. 4 is a format diagram showing an example of a conversion table for a simple mobile phone network. As shown in the figure, this conversion table includes a base station ID, which is a position information expression format of the simple mobile phone network 12, and latitude / latency, which is a position information expression format that can be handled by computers such as the IP servers 80A and 80B. Information such as longitude (X, Y) and administrative division (1-1, Toranomon, Minato-ku) is stored in association with each other.

  FIG. 5 is a format diagram showing an example of a mobile phone network conversion table. As shown in the figure, this conversion table includes an area ID that is a position information expression format of the cellular phone network 22 and a latitude / longitude (location information expression format that can be handled by computers such as the IP servers 80A and 80B). X, Y), administrative divisions (1-1, Toranomon, Minato-ku) and the like are held in association with each other.

  FIG. 6 is a format diagram showing an example of a mobile packet communication network conversion table. As shown in the figure, this conversion table includes a sector ID which is a position information expression format of the mobile packet communication network 32, and a latitude / longitude which is a position information expression format which can be handled by computers such as the IP servers 80A and 80B. Information such as (X, Y) and administrative division (1-1, Toranomon, Minato-ku) is held in association with each other.

[4. Latitude / longitude provided list table]
Next, the configuration of the latitude / longitude provision target list table provided in the position information providing unit 40b of the gateway server 40 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a format diagram illustrating an example of a latitude / longitude providing target list table. As shown in the figure, this conversion table holds a list of computers in which the representation format of position information that can be handled is latitude / longitude. In this example, IP servers 80A, 80F, 80K,. When the position information providing unit 40b provides the position information to the computers listed in this table, the latitude / longitude table (not shown) in the GPS correction unit 50d without the conversion by the position information conversion device 60. The position information of latitude / longitude obtained by referring to is directly supplied to the requested computer.

[A-2: Operation of the first embodiment]
Next, the operation of the embodiment configured as described above will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the location information providing unit 40b of the gateway server 40. Hereinafter, the operation will be described with reference to this flowchart, taking as an example the case of notifying the IP server 80B of the location information of the mobile phone 30.

  First, when a request signal for requesting the location information of the mobile phone 30 is transmitted from the IP server 80B to the gateway server 40, the processing of the location information providing unit 40b proceeds to step S1. In step S1, the request signal is received via the data relay unit 40a. This request signal includes the identification information of the IP server 80B, which is the requester of the location information, and the identification information of the mobile phone 30 for which the location information is requested. The location information providing unit 40b includes From these, the identification information is detected.

  Next, the processing of the position information providing unit 40b proceeds to step S2. In step S2, the position information providing unit 40b refers to the latitude / longitude providing target list table illustrated in FIG. 7 using the identification information of the IP server 80B included in the request signal as a search key, and the IP server 80B detects the latitude / longitude. Judge whether it is on the list to be provided. In the example of FIG. 7, since the IP server 80B is not listed, this determination result is “No”.

  Next, the process of the position information providing unit 40b proceeds to step S3. In step S <b> 3, the location information providing unit 40 b specifies the identification information of the mobile phone 30 and requests the location information of the mobile phone 30 from the positioning center 50. In response to this request, the positioning center 50 refers to the sector ID table 50c using the specified identification information of the mobile phone 30 as a search key, and reads the sector ID that is the location information of the mobile phone 30. Then, this sector ID is supplied to the position information providing unit 40b. Thus, the position information providing unit 40b acquires the sector ID as the position information of the mobile phone 30.

  Next, the process of the position information providing unit 40b proceeds to step S4. In step S4, the location information providing unit 40b specifies the acquired sector ID and the identification information of the IP server 80B, and requests the location information conversion device 60 to convert the location information. In response to this request, the location information conversion device 60 refers to the mobile packet communication network conversion table illustrated in FIG. 6 using the specified sector ID and the identification information of the IP server 80B as a search key. Thereby, the location information of the administrative division which is an expression format that can be handled by the IP server 80B corresponding to the sector ID is read and supplied to the location information providing unit 40b.

  Then, the process of the position information providing unit 40b proceeds to step S5, and acquires the position information of the mobile phone 30 converted into the expression format of the administrative division from the position information conversion device 60.

  Further, the processing of the location information providing unit 40b proceeds to step S6, specifying the identification information of the IP server 80B using the location information of the mobile phone 30 converted into the acquired administrative division expression format as the destination address, and the Internet. 70. In this way, the IP server 80B can acquire the location information of the mobile phone 30 in the administrative division expression format that it can handle.

  On the other hand, in the above example, if the location information of the mobile phone 30 is to be notified to the IP server 80A, the IP server 80A is listed in the latitude / longitude providing target list. Yes ". In this case, the process of the position information providing unit 40b proceeds to step S7. In step S <b> 7, the position information providing unit 40 </ b> C specifies the identification information of the mobile phone 30 and requests the latitude / longitude information of the mobile phone 30 from the GPS correction unit 50 d of the positioning center 50. In response to this request, the GPS correction unit 50d refers to a latitude / longitude table (not shown) using the specified identification information of the mobile phone 30 as a search key and refers to latitude / longitude information that is position information of the mobile phone 30. Is read. Then, this latitude / longitude information is supplied to the position information providing unit 40b. When the position information providing unit 40b acquires the latitude / longitude information as the position information of the mobile phone 30, the process proceeds to step S6 and transmits the acquired latitude / longitude information to the IP server 80A.

  In the above description of the operation, the position information of the mobile phone 30 is notified to the IP server 80B or 80A. However, the position information requesting entity is another computer, or the position information is requested. Even when the portable device to be used is a portable device belonging to another network, the basic operation is the same except that the referenced table is changed to one corresponding to the identification information. However, if there is a request for position information (latitude / longitude information) by specifying identification information of a portable device not equipped with a GPS receiver from a computer to be provided with latitude / longitude, the latitude of the portable device・ Longitude information cannot be acquired by referring to the above latitude / longitude table. In this case, since latitude / longitude information cannot be provided, a notification to that effect is sent to the computer that made the request.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the expression format of the position information differs depending on the portable devices belonging to different networks, and the expression format that can be handled by the computer that requests the position information of the portable device is different. Even so, each computer can acquire position information without being aware of such a difference in expression format, and can provide a common platform for position information notification.

[A-3: Modification of First Embodiment]
As described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made. In the first embodiment, for example, the following modifications are possible.
[1. Network form]
The form of the network is not limited to the form shown in FIG. For example, the mobile communication network to be connected is not limited to the networks 12, 22, and 32, and any one of them may be removed, or another mobile communication network may be further connected. Moreover, the form of the network is not limited to the form shown in FIG. For example, the mobile phone network 32 described above may be a fixed communication network, and the mobile phone 30 may be a fixed communication terminal or a portable communication terminal connected to the fixed communication network. Further, for example, a network to which a computer such as an IP server is connected is not limited to the Internet, and may be another network such as an intranet or a dedicated line. Furthermore, the form of the node on the network is not limited to the gateway server 40, the positioning center 50, the position information conversion device 60, and the like, and how these functions are assigned to each node is arbitrary. For example, the gateway server 40 may have all the functions of these nodes 40 to 60, or the position information providing unit 40b may be configured as a separate node. In addition, the positioning center 50 notifies the mobile devices 10 to 30 of the location information of the mobile devices 10 to 30, and the mobile devices 10 to 30 receive the location information providing unit 40 b of the gateway server 40 and the location information conversion device 60. You may make it fulfill a function.

[2. Form of providing latitude and longitude]
In the embodiment, when there is a request for position information (latitude / longitude information) from a computer to which latitude / longitude is to be provided to a portable device not equipped with a GPS receiver, the latitude / longitude information cannot be provided. Error notification to the requested computer. However, the present invention is not limited to such a form, and when latitude / longitude information cannot be obtained by GPS, latitude / longitude information obtained by referring to the tables 50a to 50c may be provided to the computer. .

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the location information providing unit of the gateway server 40 in the form as described above. Hereinafter, with reference to this flowchart, an explanation will be given of the case of notifying the location information of the mobile phone 20 not equipped with the GPS receiver to the IP server 80A that handles the location information in the expression format of latitude and longitude. I do.

  First, when a request signal for requesting location information of the mobile phone 20 is transmitted from the IP server 80A to the gateway server 40, the processing of the location information providing unit 40b proceeds to step S11. In step S11, the request signal is received via the data relay unit 40a. This request signal includes the identification information of the IP server 80A, which is the requester of the location information, and the identification information of the mobile phone 20 for which the location information is requested. The location information providing unit 40b includes From these, the identification information is detected.

  Next, the processing of the position information providing unit 40b proceeds to step S12. In step S <b> 12, the location information providing unit 40 b specifies the identification information of the mobile phone 20 and requests the location information of the mobile phone 20 from the positioning center 50. In response to this request, the positioning center 50 refers to the area ID table 50b using the identification information of the designated mobile phone 20 as a search key, and reads the area ID that is the location information of the mobile phone 20. Then, this area ID is supplied to the position information providing unit 40b. Thus, the position information providing unit 40b acquires the area ID as the position information of the mobile phone 20.

  Next, the process of the position information providing unit 40b proceeds to step S13. In step S13, the position information providing unit 40b specifies the acquired area ID and the identification information of the IP server 80A, and requests the position information conversion device 60 to convert the position information. In response to this request, the location information conversion device 60 refers to the mobile phone network conversion table illustrated in FIG. 5 using the specified area ID and the identification information of the IP server 80A as a search key. Thereby, the position information in the expression format of latitude / longitude that can be handled by the IP server 80A corresponding to the area ID is read out and supplied to the position information providing unit 40b.

  Then, the process of the position information providing unit 40b proceeds to step S14, and the position information of the mobile phone 20 converted into the latitude / longitude expression format is acquired from the position information conversion device 60.

  Further, the processing of the location information providing unit 40b proceeds to step S15, specifying the identification information of the IP server 80A using the location information of the cellular phone 20 converted into the acquired latitude / longitude expression format as the transmission destination address, Send to the Internet 70. In this way, the IP server 80A can acquire the position information of the mobile phone 20 not equipped with the GPS receiver in the latitude / longitude expression format that can be handled by the IP server 80A.

[3. Operation mode of location information notification]
In the embodiment, the location information notification is performed in response to the location information acquisition request from the computer side such as the IP server. However, the present invention is not limited to this, for example, in response to the notification request from the portable device, or You may make it the gateway server 40 notify itself.

[4. Target of location information notification]
In the embodiment, the position information of the portable device is notified to a computer such as an IP server connected to a network outside the mobile communication network. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the position information of the portable device is notified to the portable device. You may make it do. Further, instead of notifying the portable device of its own location information, the location information may be notified to other portable devices. Furthermore, not a portable device but a predetermined node in the mobile communication network may be notified. In other words, the term “predetermined computer” in the claims is a concept including these portable devices and nodes in the mobile communication network.

[B: Second Embodiment]
Next, in the second embodiment of the present invention, a mode in which the computer can notify position information with desired accuracy will be described. In the present embodiment, a description will be given focusing on notifying the computer of the location information of the mobile phone 30 accommodated in the mobile packet communication network 32 in the first embodiment.
[B-1: Configuration of Second Embodiment]
[1. Overall network configuration]
First, the configuration of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a network according to the second embodiment. In the figure, the same components as those of the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. Since this embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the functions of the positioning center 51, the position information conversion device 61, and the position information providing unit 40c, this point will be described below.

  As described above, the positioning center 51 associates the identification information of each mobile phone 30 with the sector ID in which each mobile phone 30 is located, and stores it in the sector ID table 50c. Further, the positioning center 51 acquires the area ID of the service area in which the mobile phone 30 is located, and stores the identification information of the mobile phone 30 and the area ID in the area in association with each other in the area ID table 50b. To do. The area ID is acquired by associating each sector ID with the area ID of the service area including the sector ID in advance.

  The position information conversion device 61 converts the position information of the mobile phone 30 into position information with the accuracy desired by each computer of the IP servers 90A to 90C connected to the Internet 70, based on a conversion table described later. With this location information conversion device 61, each computer that requests acquisition of location information can receive the location information of the mobile phone 30 without being aware of the difference in accuracy desired by itself. The IP servers 90 </ b> A to 90 </ b> C that have acquired the position information provide the mobile phone 30 with position related information related to the position information.

[2. Configuration of conversion table]
Next, a conversion table included in the position information conversion device 61 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 11 is a format diagram illustrating an example of a conversion table for low accuracy. As shown in the figure, this conversion table holds an area ID (AREA001) and a service area indicated by the area ID in association with each other (eastern Tokyo). FIG. 12 is a format diagram illustrating an example of the medium-precision conversion table. As shown in the figure, this conversion table holds the sector ID (SEC001) and the area name (1 Minato-ku Toranomon) of the sector indicated by the sector ID in association with each other.

[3. Configuration of position information providing unit 40c]
Next, with reference to FIG. 13, the structure of the positional information accuracy table with which the positional information provision part 40c of the gateway server 40 is provided is demonstrated. FIG. 13 is a format diagram showing an example of the position information accuracy table. As shown in the figure, this position information accuracy table holds information related to the accuracy of position information required by each computer such as each IP server 90A, 90B, 90C. In this example, the IP server 90A is a server that performs, for example, a route guidance service or a position tracking service to the destination point of the user, and therefore requires highly accurate position information with an error of about 10 meters. This highly accurate position information is position information acquired by the GPS receiver 34 included in the mobile phone 30. The IP server 90B is a server that provides, for example, town information of the town where the user is located, and therefore requires medium-accuracy position information with an error of several hundred meters. This medium-accuracy position information is position information based on the sector ID of the sector where the mobile phone 30 is located. The IP server 90C is a server that provides, for example, weather forecast information for the area where the user is located. Therefore, the IP server 90C may be low-accuracy position information having an error number up to several tens of kilometers. This low-accuracy position information is position information based on the area ID of the service area where the mobile phone 30 is located. When the position information providing unit 40c provides position information to the computers listed in this table, the position information conversion is performed by designating one of high accuracy to low accuracy held in association with the computer. The apparatus 60 is requested to convert the position information.

[B-2: Operation of Second Embodiment]
Next, the operation of the embodiment configured as described above will be described. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the location information providing unit 40 c of the gateway server 40. Hereinafter, the operation will be described with reference to this flowchart, taking as an example the case of notifying the location information of the mobile phone 30 to the IP server 90A.

  First, when a request signal for requesting the location information of the mobile phone 30 is transmitted from the IP server 90A to the gateway server 40, the processing of the location information providing unit 40c proceeds to Step Sa1. In step Sa1, the request signal is received via the data relay unit 40a. This request signal includes the identification information of the IP server 90A, which is the requester of the position information, and the identification information of the mobile phone 30 for which the position information is requested. The position information providing unit 40c includes From these, the identification information is detected.

  Next, the process of the position information providing unit 40c proceeds to step Sa2. In step Sa <b> 2, the position information providing unit 40 c specifies the identification information of the mobile phone 30 and requests the position information of the mobile phone 30 from the positioning center 50. In response to this request, the positioning center 50 refers to the sector ID table 50c using the specified identification information of the mobile phone 30 as a search key, and reads the sector ID that is the location information of the mobile phone 30. Then, this sector ID is supplied to the position information providing unit 40c. Thus, the position information providing unit 40 c acquires the sector ID as the position information of the mobile phone 30.

  Next, the processing of the position information providing unit 40c proceeds to step Sa3. In step Sa3, the location information providing unit 40c refers to the location information accuracy table illustrated in FIG. 13 using the identification information of the IP server 90A included in the request signal as a search key, and the location information required by the IP server 90A. Get accuracy.

  Next, the process of the position information providing unit 40c proceeds to step Sa4. In step Sa4, the position information providing unit 40c refers to the accuracy of the position information acquired in step Sa2 and the accuracy of the position information acquired in step Sa3, and determines whether or not the position information needs to be converted. Specifically, if the accuracy of the location information of the mobile phone 30 acquired from the positioning center 51 is the same accuracy as or higher than the accuracy required by the IP server 90A, it is not necessary to convert the location information. To be judged. On the other hand, if the accuracy of the location information of the mobile phone 30 acquired from the positioning center 51 is lower than the accuracy required by the IP server 90A, it is determined that the location information needs to be converted. Here, the accuracy of the location information of the mobile phone 30 acquired from the positioning center 51 is medium accuracy, whereas the accuracy required by the IP server 90A is high, so it is determined that the location information needs to be converted. And proceed to “Jesus”.

  Next, the process of the position information providing unit 40c proceeds to step Sa5. In step Sa5, the location information providing unit 40c specifies the identification information of the mobile phone 30 and the accuracy (high accuracy) of the location information required by the IP server 90A, and converts the location information to the location information conversion device 61. Request. In response to this request, the position information conversion device 61 designates identification information of the mobile phone 30, and provides the GPS correction unit 50 d of the positioning center 51 with high-accuracy location information (latitude / longitude information) of the mobile phone 30. Request. In response to this request, the GPS correction unit 50d refers to a latitude / longitude table (not shown) using the specified identification information of the mobile phone 30 as a search key and refers to latitude / longitude information that is position information of the mobile phone 30. Is read. The latitude / longitude information is supplied from the positioning center 51 to the position information conversion device 61.

  Then, the process of the position information providing unit 40c proceeds to step Sa6. In step Sa <b> 6, the position information providing unit 40 c acquires highly accurate position information from the position information conversion device 61.

  Further, the processing of the position information providing unit 40c proceeds to step Sa7, specifies the identification information of the IP server 90A using the highly accurate position information of the mobile phone 30 as the transmission destination address, and sends it to the Internet 70. In this way, the IP server 90A can acquire the position information of the mobile phone 30 with the accuracy required by itself.

  On the other hand, in the above example, if the location information of the mobile phone 30 is to be notified to the IP server 90B, the accuracy of the location information acquired from the positioning center 51 in step Sa2 and the location required by the IP server 90B Since the accuracy of the information matches, the determination result in step Sa4 is “No”. In this case, the process of the position information providing unit 40c proceeds to step Sa7, and the position information of the mobile phone 30 acquired from the positioning center 51 is transmitted to the IP server 90B as it is.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, even when the accuracy of the position information required by the computer is different for each computer, each computer is not aware of such a difference in accuracy. Therefore, it is possible to obtain position information, and to provide a common platform for notifying position information.

[B-3: Modification of Second Embodiment]
As described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made. In the first embodiment, for example, the following modifications are possible.
[1. Network form]
The form of the network is not limited to the form shown in FIG. For example, the mobile phone network 32 described above may be a fixed communication network, and the mobile phone 30 may be a fixed communication terminal or a portable communication terminal connected to the fixed communication network. Further, for example, a network to which a computer such as an IP server is connected is not limited to the Internet, and may be another network such as an intranet or a dedicated line.

[2. Configuration of each node on the network]
The form of the node on the network is not limited to the mobile phone 30, the gateway server 40, the positioning center 51, the position information conversion device 61, etc. as in the embodiment, and how these functions are assigned to each node is arbitrary. It is. For example, all the functions of these nodes 40 to 61 may be provided in the gateway server 40, or the location information providing unit 40c may be configured as a separate node.

  Further, the mobile phone 30 may fulfill the functions of the location information providing unit 40 c and the location information conversion device 61 of the gateway server 40. This form will be described below. The mobile phone 30 includes a GPS receiver 34 and a position information receiving unit (not shown). The position information receiving unit has a function of requesting the mobile packet communication network 32 to transmit its own position information and receiving the position information transmitted from the network 32. The position information transmitted from the network 32 is medium-precision based on the sector ID or low-precision position information based on the area ID. First, the cellular phone 30 transmits a request signal for requesting a route guidance service to the IP server 90A. In response to this request signal, the IP server 90A notifies the mobile phone 30 of the accuracy (for example, high-accuracy location information) of location information required by itself. In response to this notification, the mobile phone 30 acquires its position information. In this default operation for acquiring position information, the mobile phone 30 instructs the GPS receiver 34 to acquire position information with high accuracy in latitude and longitude. Next, the mobile phone 30 converts the position information based on the accuracy notified from the IP server 90A. Here, since the notified accuracy is high accuracy, the position information composed of the latitude and longitude obtained by the GPS receiver 34 is notified to the IP server 90A without conversion. On the other hand, in the above example, when the cellular phone 30 requests the weather forecast from the IP server 90C, the accuracy of the location information designated by the IP server 90C is low, so the cellular phone 30 sends a request to the mobile packet communication network 32. The low-accuracy position information is acquired and transmitted to the IP server 90C.

[3. Operation mode of location information notification]
In the embodiment, the location information notification is performed in response to the location information acquisition request from the computer side such as the IP server. However, the present invention is not limited to this, for example, in response to the notification request from the portable device, or You may make it the gateway server 40 notify itself.

[4. Target of location information notification]
In the embodiment, the position information of the portable device is notified to a computer such as an IP server connected to a network outside the mobile communication network. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the position information of the portable device is notified to the portable device. You may make it do. Further, instead of notifying the portable device of its own location information, the location information may be notified to other portable devices. Furthermore, not a portable device but a predetermined node in the mobile communication network may be notified. In other words, the term “predetermined computer” in the claims is a concept including these portable devices and nodes in the mobile communication network.

[C: Third Embodiment]
Next, in the third embodiment of the present invention, an embodiment will be described in which the location information of the mobile communication terminal is maintained and the location information is notified to various servers as a standard interface protocol. In this third embodiment, 1: a first form in which location information is notified to a server together with a data signal transmitted from a mobile station, 2: a location information is notified to the server in response to a request from the server There are two forms of the second form, which will be described separately for each form.

[C-1: First embodiment]
Hereinafter, a mode in which the location information of the mobile station is notified to the server together with the data signal transmitted from the mobile station will be described.
[C-1-1: Configuration of the first embodiment]
First, the configuration of the first embodiment will be described.
[1. Overall system configuration]
FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the entire mobile communication system used in the first embodiment.

  This mobile communication system includes a mobile station 100, a mobile telephone network 200, a mobile packet communication network 300, the Internet 400, IP servers 500A, 500B,. In the present embodiment, the mobile packet communication network 300 and the mobile telephone network 200 are collectively referred to as a mobile communication network.

  The mobile station 100 is a mobile communication terminal such as a mobile phone or a PHS, and receives a call service of the mobile phone network 200 and a packet communication service of the mobile packet communication network 300. The mobile station 100 includes a voice input / output unit for a user to make a voice call, a radio unit for performing wireless communication with a base station of a mobile communication network, an information display unit configured by a liquid crystal panel, etc., numeric input, character input In addition to an operation unit for performing an information input operation such as the above, a microcomputer for controlling these units is incorporated. The mobile station 100 is equipped with software for browsing document data (so-called browser), and is provided with an HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) supplied from an information provider (hereinafter abbreviated as IP) via the mobile packet communication network 300. ) To display the dialogue screen based on the format data (hereinafter referred to as HTML data).

  The mobile telephone network 200 is a communication network for providing a call service to the mobile station 100, and the mobile station 100 makes a call via the mobile telephone network 200 or the network 200 and a fixed telephone network (not shown). Can receive service. The mobile telephone network 200 includes a base station 210, a switching center 220, a home memory 230, a communication line connecting these, and the like.

  A large number of base stations 210 are installed at predetermined intervals in the call service area, and each base station 210 is assigned a base station ID. The base station 210 performs wireless communication with the mobile station 100 located in each wireless zone.

  The switching center 220 accommodates a plurality of base stations 210 and performs processing for switching the communication line of the mobile station 100 located in the wireless zone of the base station. The switching station 220 includes a location information table 221 for grasping the mobile station 100 located in the radio zone of each base station 210 accommodated therein.

  Various information such as subscriber information, location registration information, and billing information is registered in the home memory 230 as a database. The location registration information is information indicating an area in the network where each mobile station 100 is located, and is stored in the location registration database 231.

  The mobile packet communication network 300 is a communication network for providing a packet communication service to the mobile station 100. In addition to the base station 210, the switching center 220, the home memory 230, etc., the packet subscriber processing device 310, It consists of a gateway server 320 and a communication line connecting them.

  The packet subscriber processing device 310 is a computer system included in the switching center 220 described above in terms of device configuration, and has a unique packet subscriber processing device ID. The packet subscriber processing device 310 receives a packet exchange request from the mobile station 100, confirms the validity of the received packet exchange request, and performs processing such as relaying the packet exchange.

  The gateway server 320 is a computer system provided in a mobile packet gateway relay switching center (not shown) for interconnecting the mobile packet communication network 300 with other networks such as the Internet 400, and is different among a plurality of networks. It mediates data exchange between networks while converting communication protocols. Specifically, the gateway server 320 performs mutual conversion between a transmission protocol for the mobile packet communication network 300 and TCP / IP that is a standard communication protocol of the Internet 400. Further, the gateway server 320 holds main menu screen data for presenting menus of various services provided to the user of the mobile station 10 by the IP servers 500A, 500B,. The data is transmitted to the mobile station 100 in response to the request. The main menu screen data is HTML format data, and each main menu item is embedded with a URL including the host name of the IP server 500A, 500B,... That executes the service corresponding to each menu item. Yes. Further, the gateway server 320 has a function of generating position information indicating the position of the mobile station 100. In the present embodiment, the gateway server 320 analyzes the uplink signal transmitted from the mobile station 10 to the IP servers 500A, 500B... To generate the location information of the mobile station 100. Further, it is possible to generate location information using the above-mentioned location information table 221 or the location registration database 231. However, in this embodiment, such a method is not used. Is used. Details of the configuration of the gateway server 320 and the position information generation operation will be described later.

  IP servers 500A, 500B,... Are server systems operated by IP, and send information to be provided to users to the Internet 400 as HTML format data. In this embodiment, the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Are servers that provide the mobile station 100 with location-related information according to the location of the mobile station 100, and the regional information database 510A that stores various location-related information. , 510B. Then, the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Search the regional information databases 510A, 510B,... Based on the location information of the mobile station 100 notified from the gateway server 320, and the location related information obtained as a result of the search. Is transmitted to the mobile station 100 via the Internet 400 or the like. Further, the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Store HTML-format submenu screen data for presenting a menu of services to be executed to the user, so that the mobile station 100 can receive the IP servers 500A, 500B,. When the access is made, the stored submenu screen is transmitted to the mobile station 100.

  Here, the configuration of HTML data that is submenu screen data will be described. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of HTML-format submenu screen data transmitted to the mobile station 100 by the IP servers 500A, 500B... FIG. 17 is displayed on the mobile station 100 based on the screen data. It is a figure of a submenu screen. As shown in the figure, the submenu items include, for example, “restaurant information”, “movie theater information”, “museum information”, “tracking information provision registration”, and the like. Among these submenu items, “restaurant information”, “movie theater information”, and “museum information” are for providing restaurant information and the like to the user of the mobile station 100 according to the location information of the mobile station 100. is there.

  A corresponding hyperlink character string is embedded in each of the submenu items. For example, when the user selects “restaurant information” from the submenu screen shown in FIG. 17, “http: //” of the hyperlink character string (FIG. 16) embedded in “restaurant information” from the mobile station 100. xxx.co.jp/cgi-bin/restaurant.cgi?area=NULLAREA "via the gateway server 320 or the like to any of the IP servers 500A, 500B,... indicated by the host name“ xxx.co.jp ” It is supposed to be sent. The data string “NULLAREA” is included at the end of the hyperlink character string. This data string “NULLAREA” is replaced with the location information of the mobile station 100 in the gateway server 320, and the IP indicated by the host name is displayed. Is transmitted to the servers 500A, 500B,... And hereinafter referred to as “position information replacement data string”.

  Note that the service contents of “tracking information provision registration” shown in FIG. 16 and the hyperlink character string “http://xxx.co.jp/cgi-bin/pushregist.cgi?uid=NULLGW” embedded therein Will be described in a second embodiment to be described later.

[2. Configuration of Gateway Server 320]
Next, the configuration of the gateway server 320 will be described. FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the gateway server 320. The gateway server 320 includes an interface unit 321, a subscriber information management unit 322, a data distribution management unit 323, an IP server information management unit 324, a location information generation unit 325, and a bus 326 that interconnects them. .

  The interface unit 321 functions as an interface between networks such as performing protocol conversion between the mobile packet communication network 300 and another network such as the Internet 400.

  The subscriber information management unit 322 stores and manages subscriber information obtained by referring to the home memory 230 described above.

  The data distribution management unit 323 performs data distribution processing between the mobile stations 100, between the mobile station 100 and another network such as the Internet 400, or between the mobile station 100 and the IP servers 500A, 500B, etc. Manage. The data distribution management unit 323 stores the main menu screen data described above, and transmits the screen data to the mobile station 100 in response to a request signal from the mobile station 100. For example, the main menu item includes a “news distribution service” for distributing news in addition to a “position related information service” that provides position related information related to the position of the mobile station 100.

  Here, as a method for the mobile station 100 to access the IP servers 500A, 500B,..., A method in which the user selects a desired main menu item from a main menu screen displayed on the mobile station 100, and There are two methods in which the user directly inputs the URL of the desired IP server 500A, 500B... Using the keypad of the mobile station 100. First, when a user selects a main menu item from a main menu screen displayed on the mobile station 100, the mobile station 100 transmits a request signal including a URL embedded in the main menu item to the gateway server 320. The data distribution management unit 323 of the gateway server 320 accesses one of the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Based on the URL host name included in the received request signal. When the URL of the IP server 500A, 500B,... That the user wants to access is directly input to the mobile station 100, the mobile station 100 transmits a request signal including the input URL to the gateway server 320. The data distribution management unit 323 accesses one of the IP servers 500A, 500B... Based on the host name of the URL included in the received request signal. When the mobile station 100 accesses the IP servers 500A, 500B,... By any of the above methods, the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Transmit the stored submenu screen to the mobile station 100 as described above. It is supposed to be.

  The IP server information management unit 324 includes an IP information database 327 that stores information related to the IP servers 500A, 500B,..., And performs registration / update of the information. The above-described data distribution management unit 323 refers to the IP information database 327 and transmits the location information of the mobile station 100 to the IP servers 500A, 500B,. The configuration of this IP information database 327 will be described later.

  The position information generation unit 325 generates position information of the mobile station 100 as described below. In the uplink signal transmitted from the mobile station 100 to the IP servers 500A, 500B,..., For example, the URL of the IP server 500A, 500B. Mobile station IDs and the like. Furthermore, in the process in which the uplink signal is relayed by each device in the mobile communication network, the ID of each device is added to the signal. That is, after this uplink signal is transmitted from the mobile station 100, first, when received by the base station 210, the base station ID of the base station is added, and when further received by the packet subscriber processing device 310, The packet subscriber processing device ID of the packet subscriber processing device 310 is added. Therefore, when the upstream signal transmitted from the mobile station 100 is received by the gateway server 320, the signal is transmitted to the URL of any of the destination IP servers 500A, 500B,..., The mobile station ID, and the base station ID. The packet subscriber processing device ID is included. The location information generation unit 325 can grasp which mobile station 100 is located in the radio zone of which base station 210 by analyzing the ID information and the like. In addition, the position information generation unit 325 includes a region code database 328 in which a base station ID and a region code of a region where the base station of the base station ID is located are stored in association with each other. The location information generation unit 325 searches the area code database 328 using the base station ID where the mobile station 10 is located as a search key, and the area code obtained as a result and the mobile station of the mobile station 100 are searched. Let ID be the position information of the mobile station 100.

[3. Configuration of IP information database 327]
Next, the configuration of the IP information database 327 provided in the IP server information management unit 324 will be described. FIG. 19 shows a data format diagram of the IP information database 327. As shown in the figure, for each “IP server name”, the IP information database 327 contains information such as “host name”, “service name”, “location information disclosure flag”, “user permission flag”, etc. Is stored.

  The location information disclosure flag is set to ON for the IP server 500 that is the location information disclosure target of the mobile station 100 (that is, the IP server 500 capable of acquiring the location information of the mobile station 100). For example, in the figure, an IP server 500A and an IP server 500B are IP servers that perform a location-related information providing service, and an IP server 500C is an IP server that performs a wide area information providing service.

  Here, the wide area information means information that is not biased toward regional characteristics, and the wide area information providing service is a service that does not depend on the location information of the mobile station 100. Examples of the wide area information providing service include a nationwide news distribution service. On the other hand, the location-related information providing service is a service that depends on the location of the mobile station 100 and is a service that provides restaurant information as described above. Therefore, as shown in the figure, since the IP server 500A and the IP server 500B are IP servers that can acquire location information (that is, the IP server 500A and the IP server 500B are location information disclosure targets), The information disclosure flag is set on. On the other hand, since the IP server 500C is a server that does not acquire the location information of the mobile station 100 (that is, the IP server 500C is not a location information disclosure target), the location information disclosure flag is set to OFF.

  The user permission flag is set to ON for the IP server 500 that requires the permission of the user of the mobile station 100 when the position information is disclosed, among the IP servers 500 to which the position information of the mobile station 100 is disclosed. Some users may not want to know their own location information. In such a case, the location information of the mobile station 100 is prevented from being disclosed to the IP servers 500A, 500B,. Therefore, this user permission flag is provided. Accordingly, an IP server (IP server 500B shown in the figure) that can acquire the location information of the mobile station 100 unconditionally (that is, without the user's permission) even if the IP server 500 is the location information disclosure target. And an IP server (IP server 500A shown in the figure) that can acquire location information only after permission from the user.

  For the IP server 500 that is not registered in the IP information database 327, there is no flag information or the like that should be a public standard as described above, but the gateway server 320 is registered in such an IP information database 327. It is determined that the position information disclosure flag is set to be off for the IP server 500 that is not (ie, the position information is not disclosed).

[4. Configuration of Regional Code Database 328]
Next, the regional code database 328 provided in the position information generation unit 325 will be described. FIG. 20 is a data format diagram of the region code database 328. In this area code database 328, the “base station ID” that can be grasped as information indicating the position in the mobile communication network and the IP servers 500A, 500B,. Are stored in association with each other. For example, since the base station ID group “BS001 to BS005” shown in the figure substantially corresponds to the area of Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, the area code “1” of Shibuya-ku corresponding to the base station group “ CODE001 "is stored.

[5. Configuration of Regional Information Database 510]
Next, the configuration of the area information databases 510A, 510B,... Provided in the IP servers 500A, 500B,. FIG. 21 is a format diagram of the regional information databases 510A, 510B... In this area information database 510A, 510B,... “Area code” for each area, “area name” and “position related information” corresponding to the area code are stored. Here, various criteria such as those based on administrative divisions such as city names, those based on postal codes, and those divided based on latitude / longitude can be considered as criteria for dividing each region. In the figure, the area code “CODE001” indicates “Shibuya-ku 1-chome”, which is one of the administrative divisions. ”,“ Telephone number ”,“ event ”and the like are stored in the regional information database 510.

[C-1-2: Operation of the first embodiment]
Next, the operation of the first embodiment configured as described above will be described. FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment.

  First, the user selects a desired main menu item from the main menu screen displayed on the mobile station 100, or the user directly inputs the URL of the desired IP server 500A, 500B,. By inputting, IP servers 500A, 500B... (Here, IP server 500A (host name: xxx.co.jp) is accessed). Next, the IP server 500A transmits the stored submenu screen data (for example, the screen data shown in FIG. 16) to the mobile station 100 via the gateway server 320, and the mobile station 100 receives and displays it. Then, the process shown in FIG.

  Then, when the user selects a desired menu item (for example, “restaurant information” shown in FIG. 17) from the submenu screen displayed on the mobile station 100, the mobile station 100 selects in step SP1. A request signal including a hyperlink character string “http://xxx.co.jp/cgi-bin/restaurant.cgi?area=NULLAREA” embedded in the menu item is transmitted to the gateway server 320.

  In step SP3, the gateway server 320 receives the request signal via the base station 210 or the like.

  In step SP5, the gateway server 320 determines whether or not the hyperlink character string in the received request signal includes the location information replacement data string “NULLAREA”. If the determination result is NO (that is, if there is no position information replacement data string), the process proceeds to step SP7, and the gateway server 320 is based on the host name included in the hyperlink character string in the received request signal. .. Is accessed, and data relay processing between the mobile station 100 and the IP servers 500A, 500B,.

  On the other hand, if the result of determination in step SP5 is yes (that is, if there is a position information replacement data string), the process proceeds to step SP9, where the gateway server 320 refers to the host name included in the hyperlink character string, and It is determined whether or not the IP server 500A indicated by the host name is a location information disclosure target. As described above, this determination is made by referring to the setting state (on or off) of the location information disclosure flag in the IP information database 327.

  If the determination result in step SP7 is OFF (that is, if the IP server 500A is not the disclosure target of the location information), the process proceeds to step SP11, and the gateway server 320 indicates that the location information is not transmitted to the IP server 500A. A transmission impossible notification is transmitted to the mobile station 100. In step SP13, the mobile station 100 receives the transmission disable notification, displays it on the liquid crystal display, and notifies the user.

  On the other hand, if the determination result in step SP9 is on (ie, if the IP server 500A is the location information disclosure target), the process proceeds to step SP15, and the gateway server 320 releases the location information to the IP server 500A. It is determined whether or not permission from the user of the mobile station 100 is necessary. As described above, this determination is made by referring to the user permission flag setting state (on or off) in the IP information database 327.

  If the determination result in step SP15 is OFF (that is, if user permission is not required), the process proceeds to step SP17.

  On the other hand, if the result of step SP15 is on (that is, if user permission is required), the process proceeds to step SP19, and the gateway server 320 moves the input screen data for obtaining permission for transmission of location information to the user. Transmit to station 100.

  In step SP21, the mobile station 100 receives and interprets the input screen data and displays it on the liquid crystal display. In step SP23, the mobile station 100 accepts an input from the user regarding permission / inhibition. In step SP25, the mobile station 100 transmits the input information input by the user to the gateway server 320.

  In step SP27, the gateway server 320 receives input information. In step SP29, it is determined whether or not the input information related to permission / prohibition is interpreted and the position information may be transmitted to the IP server 500A.

  If the result of the determination is no (that is, if location information cannot be transmitted to the IP server 500A), the process proceeds to step SP31, and the gateway server 320 indicates that location information is not transmitted to the mobile station 100. A transmission impossible notification is transmitted to the mobile station 100. In step SP33, the mobile station 100 receives the transmission disable notification and displays it on the liquid crystal display. The user can confirm that the position information has not been transmitted by looking at the display.

  On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step SP29 is yes (that is, if position information can be transmitted to the IP server 500A), the process proceeds to step SP17, and the gateway server 320 generates the position information of the mobile station 100. To do. That is, as described above, the gateway server 320 first extracts the base station ID included in the request signal, searches the region code database 328 using the extracted base station ID as a search key, and sets the base station ID to the base station ID. A corresponding area code (referred to as “CODE001”) is acquired, and the area code is used as position information of the mobile station 100.

  In step SP35, the gateway server 320 replaces the location information replacement data string “NULLAREA” in the request signal with the location information “CODE001” of the mobile station 100, and the hyperlink character string “http: //” containing the replaced location information. /Xxx.co.jp/cgi-bin/restaurant.cgi?area=CODE001 "or the like is transmitted to the IP server 500A based on the host name" xxx.co.jp ".

  In step SP37, the IP server 500A activates the location related information application in response to the received request signal. Then, the location-related information (restaurant information) corresponding to the location information (CODE001) received from the gateway server 320 is acquired from the regional information database 510A, and the location-related information is obtained from the Internet 400 based on the mobile station ID included in the request signal. To the mobile station 100. Thereafter, the mobile station 100 receives and displays the position related information via the gateway server 320, and the user achieves the intended purpose.

[C-2: Second embodiment]
Next, a mode of notifying the IP servers 500A, 500B... Of the location information of the mobile station 100 in response to a request from the IP servers 500A, 500B.

[C-2-1: Configuration of the second embodiment]
The configuration of the second mode will be described with reference to the drawings. As described above, in the second mode, the location of the mobile station 100 is determined using the location information table 221 of the switching center 220 and the location registration database 231 of the home memory 230. Since information is generated, the configuration of the location information table 221 and the location registration database 231 will be described in detail below, and further, the point that the second form is different from the first form will be described. Since other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment described above, description thereof is omitted.

[1. Configuration of the location information table 221 of the exchange 220]
FIG. 23 is a data format diagram of the location information table 221. In the location information table 221, the “base station ID” of each base station 210 accommodated in the exchange 220 and the “mobile station” of the mobile station 100 located in the wireless zone of the base station 210 indicated by the base station ID ID ”(generally the telephone number of the mobile station 100 is used) is stored. Hereinafter, information including these mobile station IDs and base station IDs is referred to as location information.

  For example, the mobile station 100 indicated by the mobile station IDs “MS09011111111”, “MS09011111122”, and “MS09011111130” is located in the radio zone of the base station ID “BS001” shown in FIG. ing. Further, the mobile station 100 is not located in the radio zone of the base station ID “BS002”, and the mobile station ID “MS09011111140” is 1 in the radio zone of the base station 210 in the base station ID “BS003”. This indicates that the mobile station 100 of the aircraft is in the service area.

  When the mobile station 100 moves between the radio zones of each base station 210, a process of switching to a communication channel unique to each base station (so-called handover) is performed between the mobile station 100 and the switching center 220. The location information in the location information table 221 is updated at the timing of this handover. Each switching center 220 manages communication processing between the base station 210 and the mobile station 100 with reference to the location information table 221.

[2. Configuration of location registration database 231 of home memory 230]
FIG. 24 is a data format diagram of the location registration database 231. Here, an area composed of radio zones of a plurality of base stations 210 accommodated in one exchange 220 is referred to as a “location registration area” (or a general call area). This location registration area is a unit of location registration of the mobile station 100 performed in the mobile communication network, and the switching center 220 makes a simultaneous call to the mobile station 100 in this unit. Each location registration area is given a location registration area ID.

  As shown in the figure, the location registration database 231 stores each “mobile station ID” and “location registration area ID” of the location registration area where each mobile station 100 is located. Information consisting of the “mobile station ID” and “location registration area ID” is referred to as location registration information. For example, in the figure, the mobile station 100 indicated by the mobile station ID “MS09011111111” is located within the location registration area indicated by the location registration area ID “AREA0001”.

[3. Configuration of IP servers 500A, 500B,.
The IP servers 500A, 500B,... Store submenu screens as in the first embodiment described above, but the configuration of the hyperlink character string embedded in the submenu items used in the second embodiment is as follows. This is different from the first embodiment. Here, the configuration of the hyperlink character string used in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The “tracking information provision registration” shown in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17 is a movement to be tracked with respect to the IP servers 500A, 500B,. This is a menu item for registering the station 100. Specifically, when the mobile station ID is registered in the IP servers 500A, 500B,. ... Periodically inquires the gateway server 320 about the location information of the mobile station 100 indicated by the registered ID, and acquires the location information.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the hyperlink character string “http://xxx.co.jp/cgi-bin/pushregist.cgi?uid=NULLGW” is embedded in the “tracking information provision registration” menu item. However, a data string “NULLGW” is included at the end of the hyperlink character string. When the user selects “tracking information provision registration” from the submenu screen shown in FIG. 17, the hyperlink character string “http://xxx.co.jp/cgi-bin/pushregist.cgi?uid=NULLGW” Is transmitted from the mobile station 100 to the gateway server 320. At this time, the predetermined data string “NULLGW” is replaced with the ID of the mobile station 100 in the gateway server 320, and the IP indicated by the host name is transmitted. Are transmitted to the servers 500A, 500B,. This predetermined data string “NULLGW” is hereinafter referred to as “mobile station ID replacement data string”.

  The ID of the mobile station 100 to be replaced at this time is not a mobile station ID consisting of the above-mentioned mobile station 100 telephone number but an ID uniquely determined between the gateway server 320 and the IP servers 500A, 500B. , Called pseudo ID). The replaced pseudo IDs are temporarily stored in the IP servers 500A, 500B..., And the IP servers 500A, 500B... Transmit a location information acquisition request specifying the pseudo IDs to the gateway server 320. ing.

[4. Configuration of Gateway Server 320]
Next, the configuration of the gateway server 320 will be described. The gateway server 320 includes a mobile station ID table for converting the mobile station ID into a pseudo ID.

  FIG. 25 is a data format diagram of the mobile station ID table. As shown in the figure, a “mobile station ID” and a “pseudo ID” corresponding to the “mobile station ID” are stored in the mobile station ID table. For example, as shown in the figure, the mobile station ID “MS09011111111” corresponds to the pseudo ID “00ZDGVXAKLLG”. When the gateway server 320 detects the mobile station ID replacement data string from the request signal received from the mobile station 100, the gateway server 320 searches the mobile station ID table using the mobile station ID included in the signal as a search key, The pseudo ID is replaced with the mobile station ID replacement data string and transmitted to one of the IP servers 500A, 500B,.

  On the other hand, the pseudo ID transmitted to the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Is temporarily stored in the server as described above, and the location information specifying the pseudo ID is obtained from the IP servers 500A, 500B,. A request is transmitted to the gateway server 320. Then, the location information generation unit 325 of the gateway server 320 that has received the location information acquisition request generates location information of the designated mobile station 100. Here, the location information generation unit 325 does not generate location information using the base station ID or the like in the uplink signal from the mobile station 100 as in the first embodiment, but the location registration database 231 described above. The location information is generated by referring to the location information table 221. Details of the operation of the gateway server 320 generating location information will be described later.

[C-2-2: Operation]
Next, the operation of the second embodiment configured as described above will be described. 26 and 27 are flowcharts showing the operation of the second embodiment.

  First, the user selects a desired main menu item from the main menu screen displayed on the mobile station 100, or the user directly inputs the URL of the desired IP server 500A, 500B,. By inputting, IP servers 500A, 500B... (Here, IP server 500A (host name: xxx.co.jp) is accessed). Next, the IP server 500A transmits the stored submenu screen data (for example, the screen data shown in FIG. 16) to the mobile station 100 via the gateway server 320, and the mobile station 100 receives and displays it. Then, the process shown in FIG.

  First, when the user selects a desired menu item (“registration of location tracking information” shown in FIG. 17) from the submenu screen displayed on the mobile station 100, the mobile station 100 selects in step SP51. Request signal including a hyperlink character string “http://xxx.co.jp/cgi-bin/pushregist.cgi?uid=NULLGW” and a mobile station ID (for example, “MS09011111111”) embedded in the selected menu item Is transmitted to the gateway server 320.

  In step SP53, the gateway server 320 receives the request signal. In step SP55, the gateway server 320 determines whether or not the mobile station ID replacement data string “NULLGW” is present in the received request signal. If the result of the determination is no (ie, if there is no mobile station ID replacement data string), the process proceeds to step SP57, and the gateway server 320 is based on the host name included in the hyperlink character string in the received request signal. .., And then relays data between the mobile station 100 and the IP servers 500A, 500B... According to the user's operation.

  On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step SP55 is yes (that is, if there is a mobile station ID replacement data string), the process proceeds to step SP59, where the gateway server 320 searches the mobile station ID table to simulate the mobile station 100. ID (“00ZDGVXAKLLG” shown in FIG. 20) is acquired.

  In step SP61, the gateway server 320 replaces the mobile station ID replacement data string “NULLGW” in the hyperlink character string in the request signal with the pseudo ID “00ZDGVXAKLLG”, and the hyperlink character string “3” including the replaced pseudo ID. http://xxx.co.jp/cgi-bin/pushregist.cgi?uid=00ZDGVXAKLLG "is transmitted as a request signal to the IP server 500A based on the host name" xxx.co.jp ".

  In step SP63, the IP server 500A receives and interprets the request signal, and stores the pseudo ID “00ZDGVXAKLLG” included in the request signal as a mobile station to be tracked.

  In step SP65, IP server 500A designates the stored pseudo ID “00ZDGVXAKLLLG” and periodically transmits a location information acquisition request to gateway server 320.

  In step SP67, the gateway server 320 receives a location information acquisition request from the IP server 500A. Then, the gateway server 320 searches the mobile station ID table using the designated pseudo ID “00ZDGVXAKLLLG” as a search key, and obtains the corresponding mobile station ID “MS09011111111”.

  In step SP69, the gateway server 320 determines whether or not the IP server 500A that has transmitted the position information acquisition request is a position information disclosure target. This determination is performed by referring to the setting state (on or off) of the location information disclosure flag in the IP information database 327 as described in the first embodiment.

  If the determination result in step SP69 is OFF (that is, if the IP server 500A is not the location information disclosure target), the process proceeds to step SP71, and the gateway server 320 sends a transmission disapproval notification indicating that the position information is not transmitted. It transmits to IP server 500A. In step SP73, the IP server 500A receives a transmission impossible notification.

  On the other hand, if the determination result in step SP69 is on (ie, if the IP server 500A is the location information disclosure target), the process proceeds to step SP75, and the gateway server 320 transmits the location information to the IP server 500A. It is determined whether or not permission from the user of the mobile station 100 is necessary. This determination is made by referring to the user permission flag setting state (on or off) in the IP information database 327 as described in the first embodiment.

  If the result of the determination at step SP75 is OFF (that is, if user permission is not required), the process proceeds to step SP77 in FIG.

  On the other hand, if the determination result in step SP75 is on (that is, if user permission is required), the process proceeds to step SP79, and the gateway server 320 uses the input screen data for obtaining permission to transmit location information as the mobile station. It transmits to the mobile station 100 indicated by the ID “MS09011111111”.

  In step SP81, the mobile station 100 receives and interprets the input screen data and displays it on the liquid crystal display. In step SP83, the mobile station 100 receives an input from the user regarding permission / inhibition. In step SP85, the mobile station 100 transmits the input information input by the user to the gateway server 320. In step SP87, the gateway server 320 receives the input information.

  Next, in step SP89 shown in FIG. 27, the gateway server 320 interprets the input information regarding permission / non-permission and determines whether or not the position information may be transmitted to the IP server 500A.

  If the determination result is NO (that is, if location information cannot be transmitted to the IP server 500A), the process proceeds to step SP91, and the gateway server 320 indicates that the location information cannot be transmitted to the IP server 500A. Send a send disabled notification. In step SP93, the IP server 500A receives the transmission disable notification.

  On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step SP89 is yes (that is, if location information can be transmitted to the IP server 500A), the process proceeds to step SP77, and the gateway server 320 sets the mobile station as described below. 100 position information is generated.

  First, the gateway server 320 searches the location registration database 231 using the mobile station ID as a search key, and acquires the corresponding location registration area ID. The mobile station 100 is in the location registration area indicated by the acquired location registration area ID. Next, the gateway server 320 accesses the in-zone information table 221 provided in the switching center 220 indicated by the acquired location registration area ID, searches using the mobile station ID as a search key, and sets the corresponding base station ID. get. Then, the gateway server 320 searches the area code database 328 using the acquired base station ID as a search key, acquires the corresponding area code, and uses it as the location information of the mobile station 100.

  In step SP95, the gateway server 320 transmits the generated position information to the IP server 500A as the position information of the mobile station 100 indicated by the pseudo ID “00ZDGVXAKLLG”.

  In step SP97, the IP server 500A receives the location information of the mobile station 100, and transmits location-related information to the mobile station 100 as appropriate according to the received location information.

  In the third embodiment described above, a predetermined data string defined between the gateway server 320 and the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Is used as a replacement target for position information and mobile station ID. The position information can be notified to the IP server 500 without depending on it. In addition, since the gateway server 320 determines whether or not to notify the location information based on the disclosure reference information such as the location information disclosure flag, security regarding the location information of the mobile station 100 is ensured.

[C-3: Modification of Third Embodiment]
As described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made. In the third embodiment, for example, the following modifications are possible.
[1. Aspects of IP servers 500A, 500B ...]
In the first and second embodiments described above, the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Are connected to the gateway server 320 via the Internet 400, but are not necessarily limited to such connection modes. For example, the IP servers 500A, 500B,... May be connected to the gateway server 320 via a dedicated line, or may be provided inside the mobile communication network.

  In the first and second embodiments described above, the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Have a function of providing some information to the mobile station 100. It may be. For example, in the second embodiment, the IP server 500 periodically acquires the position information of the mobile station 10 and uses the position information obtained as a result of a predetermined information processing device (for example, the vehicle to which the mobile station 100 is attached). The IP server 500 may simply store the acquired location information without outputting it to other terminals.

[2. Mode of position information replacement data string or mobile station ID replacement data string]
In the above first or second form, the location information replacement data string “NULLAREA” or the mobile station ID replacement data string “NULLGW” was added to the end of the hyperlink character string included in the request signal. . However, this is not necessarily the case, and the replacement data string only needs to be included in a predetermined position in the request signal transmitted from the mobile station 100. Further, the data string need not be a character string of “NULLAREA” or “NULLGW”, and may be another character string.

[3. Location information description format]
In the first or second embodiment described above, by converting a predetermined character string determined in advance into position information, the position information can be supplied to various IP servers. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is only necessary that the description method of the position information matches between the mobile station 100 and the IP servers 500A, 500B,. That is, the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Notify the mobile station 100 in advance of the location information description method, and the mobile station 100 describes the location information based on the notified method, and the IP server 500A, It may be transmitted to 500B. Examples of the position information description format notification process include the following. First, the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Describe the location information description method in a predetermined file, and attach a specific extension indicating that the file specifies the location information description method to the file. Transmit to mobile station 100. The mobile station 10 acquires the location information description method by referring to the file.

[4. Mode of position information generation]
In the first and second embodiments described above, the mobile communication network including the gateway server 320 generates the location information of the mobile station 100. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is generated by other means. May be notified to the IP servers 500A, 500B,. Hereinafter, a specific example of other means for generating the position information of the mobile station 100 will be described.

  For example, the user may input position information to the mobile station 100 by operating his / her keys. First, the gateway server 320 transmits specified position information input screen data for inputting position information specified by the user to the mobile station 100 together with the input screen data for inquiring permission to transmit the position information described above. The mobile station 100 interprets the received designated position information input screen data and displays it on the liquid crystal display. On the designated position information input screen displayed on the mobile station 100, the user can find out more detailed position information, for example, the positional relationship with a predetermined building such as “A station east exit” and the location of the user. Enter the “address” itself. Then, the mobile station 100 transmits the specified position information input by the user to the gateway server 320. The gateway server 320 transmits the specified position information received from the mobile station 100 together with the position information generated by its own position information generation unit 325 to the IP servers 500A, 500B,. If the notified location information is detailed, the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Can provide more detailed and accurate location related information correspondingly.

  Further, the mobile station 100 may include positioning means such as GPS. Then, the mobile station 100 transmits positioning information obtained by measuring the position of the mobile station 100 by the positioning means to the gateway server 320. The gateway server 320 transmits only the position information generated by the position information generation unit 325 to the IP servers 500A, 500B,... For the mobile station 100 that does not include the positioning means, and the mobile station that includes the positioning means. 100, in addition to the position information generated by the position information generation unit 325, the positioning information received from the mobile station 100 is transmitted to the IP servers 500A, 500B,.

  Here, the operation when the gateway server 320 transmits the position information and the positioning information to the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Will be described in detail. It is assumed that the information regarding the position transmitted from the gateway server 320 to the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Is composed of an 8-digit character string. In the 8-digit character string, the upper 4 digits indicate position information generated by the position information generation unit 325, and the lower 4 digits indicate positioning information measured by the positioning means. Furthermore, it is assumed that a 4-digit character string “0000” indicates that the positioning information does not exist when positioning is impossible by the positioning unit or when the mobile station 100 does not include the positioning unit. For example, when the location information generated by the gateway server 320 is “1st Street in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo” (indicated by the character string “C49D”) as the location information of the mobile station 100 that does not include positioning means, The character string is “C49D0000”. On the other hand, as the position information of the mobile station 100 provided with positioning means, the position information generated by the gateway server 320 is “Tokyo Shibuya-ku 1-chome”, and the positioning information generated by the positioning means is “Tokyo Shibuya”. In the case of ward 1 chome 1-1 ”, the character string“ 7236 ”indicating“ 1-1 ”is inserted in the lower 4 digits, and the 8-digit character string becomes“ C49D7236 ”.

  In general, when positioning means such as GPS is used, it is possible to measure a position that is more detailed than position information generated by a mobile communication network. Therefore, if the configuration of the 8-digit character string as described above is taken, the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Are higher in the 8-digit character string when only the rough position related information is provided to the user. It is sufficient to refer to only 4 digits, and in the case of providing detailed location related information, it is sufficient to refer to the lower 4 digits. For example, the location information of the location information is provided according to the level of the location related information provided to the mobile station 100. The reference behavior can be changed. Further, when the lower 4 digits are “0000” (that is, when positioning information does not exist), the IP servers 500A, 500B... The gateway server 320 may be requested to transmit to the mobile station 10 input screen data for receiving detailed position information. As described above, since the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Appropriately change the reference operation of the position information, should the gateway server 320 transmit rough position information to the IP servers 500A, 500B,. Further, it is not necessary to perform a determination process on whether or not to transmit detailed position information.

[5. Operation of gateway server 320 and IP servers 500A, 500B, ... when location information is not disclosed]
In the first embodiment described above, when the location information of the mobile station 100 is not disclosed to the IP servers 500A, 500B,..., The gateway server 320 transmits a location information transmission failure notification to the mobile station 100. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a transmission disable notification may be transmitted to the IP servers 500A, 500B,. When receiving the transmission impossible notification, the IP servers 500A, 500B,... Transmit screen data indicating that location information cannot be acquired (hereinafter referred to as error screen data) to the mobile station 10, and the mobile station 100 Displays the error screen. Moreover, the above-described transmission impossible notification may be transmitted from the gateway server 320 to both the mobile station 100 and the IP servers 500A, 500B,.

  Further, the following various types of transmission impossibility notifications are conceivable. For example, in the first embodiment described above, even if the gateway server 320 cannot transmit position information, the position information replacement data string “NULLAREA” is included in the hyperlink character strings of the IP servers 500A, 500B. Are transmitted to the IP servers 500A, 500B... Then, when the IP server 500A, 500B,... Detects the location information replacement data sequence “NULLAREA” in the request signal, the IP server 500A, 500B,. . In addition, when the location information cannot be transmitted, the gateway server 320 replaces the location information replacement data string “NULLAREA” with a predetermined keyword (hereinafter referred to as an error keyword) indicating that transmission is impossible, and the IP servers 500A and 500B. You may send to ... Further, link information to a site providing error screen data displayed on the mobile station 100 is inserted into the error keyword, and the error screen data is transmitted from the site to the mobile station 100. Good. The aspect described above can be similarly applied to the second embodiment.

[6. Type of location information disclosure standard]
In the first and second embodiments described above, the gateway server 320 determines whether to disclose the location information to the IP servers 500A, 500B,... By referring to the IP information database 327. In this IP information database 327, the location information disclosure flag and the user permission flag are set. However, the information that becomes the disclosure standard is not necessarily limited to only the flag information. Various modes as described below are conceivable.

  For example, IP servers 500A, 500B,... For which location information is disclosed can be set for each mobile station 100. FIG. 28 is a data format diagram of a database provided in the gateway server 320 in such a case. As shown in the figure, in this database, “IP server name” for which location information is disclosed is registered for each “mobile station ID”. For example, the location information of the mobile station ID “MS0901111111” shown in the figure is permitted to be disclosed to “IP servers 500A, 500D, 500H. The user of the mobile station 100 notifies the IP server name to be disclosed in advance to the communication carrier of the mobile communication network, and the communication carrier determines the IP server name to be disclosed based on the notification. Register in this database. The gateway server 320 refers to this database and determines whether or not location information can be disclosed. That is, instead of setting the location information disclosure standard uniformly for all the IP servers 500A, 500B... As in the first and second embodiments described above, each IP address is set for each mobile station 100. Public standards for the servers 500A, 500B,... Are set.

  In addition, it is possible to set a specific mobile station 100 so that its position information is not disclosed at all. FIG. 29 is a data format diagram of a database provided in the gateway server 320 in such a case. As shown in the figure, the mobile station ID of the mobile station 100 that does not disclose position information is registered in this database. When the user does not want to disclose his / her location information to any server, the user notifies the communication carrier of the mobile communication network in advance, and the carrier notifies the mobile station ID based on the notification. Register in the database. The gateway server 320 refers to this database and determines whether or not location information can be disclosed.

  By providing various disclosure standards as described above, it is possible to respond to various user needs for notifying location information only to a specific IP server 500 or not wanting to know location information. Become.

[7. Type of location information disclosure standard]
In the first and second embodiments described above, a mobile station such as a mobile phone or PHS is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a function for wirelessly communicating data with the base station 210 of the mobile communication network. For example, a mobile communication terminal such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) may be used.

[8. Data description language]
In the first and second embodiments described above, the data exchanged between the gateway server 320 and the IP servers 500A, 500B,... And the mobile station 100 is in the HTML format, but is not limited thereto. For example, another description language such as XML (Extensible Markup Language) may be used.

  As described above, according to one aspect of the present invention, the position information of the mobile communication terminal generated in various expression formats can be supplied in an expression format that can be handled by a computer that uses the information. Computers on the network can acquire the location information of the mobile communication terminal without being aware of the difference in expression format, and can provide a common platform for providing location information corresponding to network integration.

  In addition, according to another aspect of the present invention, it is possible to supply position information with accuracy required by a computer on the network.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, position information of a mobile communication terminal can be supplied to a computer as a standard interface protocol.

  In addition, according to still another aspect of the present invention, whether or not to disclose the location information of the mobile communication terminal is managed in the mobile communication network, so that security regarding the location information of the mobile communication terminal can be ensured.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the whole network which performs the positional information notification method which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the simple mobile phone 10 in the same embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the mobile telephone 30 provided with the GPS receiver in the embodiment. It is a format figure which shows the example of the conversion table for simple mobile telephone networks in the same embodiment. It is a format figure which shows the example of the conversion table for mobile telephone networks in the same embodiment. It is a format figure which shows the example of the conversion table for mobile packet communication networks in the same embodiment. It is a format figure which shows the example of the latitude / longitude provision object list table in the embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the positional information provision part 40b of the gateway server 40 in the embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the positional information provision part of the gateway server 40 in the modification of the embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the whole network which performs the positional information notification method which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a format figure which shows the example of the area ID conversion table in the embodiment. It is a format figure which shows the example of the conversion table for sector IDs in the embodiment. It is a format figure which shows the example of the position information accuracy table in the embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the positional information provision part 40c of the gateway server 40 in the embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the whole mobile communication system which performs the positional information notification method which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of HTML-format submenu data transmitted to the mobile station 100 by the IP servers 500A, 500B,. It is a figure of the screen displayed on the mobile station 100 based on the submenu data of the HTML format shown in FIG. 11 in the embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the gateway server 320 in the embodiment. It is a data format figure of the IP information database 327 with which the gateway server 320 in the same embodiment is provided. It is a data format figure of the area code database 328 with which the gateway server 320 in the embodiment is provided. Is a data format diagram of regional information databases 510A, 510B,... Provided in the IP servers 500A, 500B,. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of operations of the mobile communication system in the first mode of the embodiment. It is a data format figure of the location information table 221 with which the exchange 220 in the same embodiment is provided. It is a data format figure of the location registration database 231 in the home memory 230 in the embodiment. It is a data format figure of ID database with which the gateway server 320 in the embodiment is provided. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the mobile communication system in the second mode of the embodiment. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the mobile communication system in the second mode of the embodiment. It is a data format figure of the database with which the gateway server 320 is provided. It is a data format figure of the database with which the gateway server 320 is provided. It is a figure which illustrates the various description format of position information when the information resource of the computer system designated by URL acquires position information from a mobile communication terminal.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Simple mobile phone (mobile communication terminal), 10A, 30A ... Control unit, 10B, 30B ... Wireless unit, 10C, 30C ... User interface unit, 11, 21, 31 ... Base station, 12 ... Simple mobile phone network (mobile) Communication network), 20, 30 mobile phone (mobile communication terminal), 22 mobile phone network (mobile communication network), 32 mobile packet communication network (mobile communication network), 34 GPS receiver (position information generating means) , 40 ... Gateway server, 40a ... Data relay section, 40b ... Location information providing section (position information notifying means), 40c ... Position information providing section (position information notifying means), 50 ... Positioning center, 50a ... Base station ID table ( Position information generating means), 50b ... Area ID table (position information generating means), 50c ... Sector ID table (position information generating means), 50d ... GPS correction unit (position information) Generating means), 51 ... positioning center, 60 ... position information converting device (position information converting means), 61 ... position information converting device (position information extracting means), 70 ... Internet, 80A, 80B ... IP server (computer, information provision) Server), 90A, 90B, 90C ... IP server (computer, information providing server), 100 ... mobile station (mobile communication terminal), 110 ... transmission / reception unit, 120 ... control unit, 121 ... CPU, 122 ... ROM, 123 ... RAM , 130 ... User interface, 200 ... Mobile telephone network (mobile communication network), 210 ... Base station, 220 ... Switching office, 221 ... Area information table (location information generating means), 230 ... Home memory, 231 ... Location registration database (Location information generating means), 310 ... packet subscriber processing device, 320 ... gateway server, 321 ... Interface unit (position information notification unit, error signal transmission unit, input screen transmission unit, designated position information reception unit, measurement position information reception unit), 322... Subscriber information management unit, 323... Data distribution management unit (position information notification unit) , Identification information addition means, notification availability determination means, error signal transmission means, input screen transmission means, designated position information reception means, measurement position information reception means), 324... IP server information management unit (storage means, public information storage means, Terminal information storage means), 325... Location information generation unit (position information generation means), 326... Bus, 327... IP information database (storage means, public information storage means, terminal information storage means), 328. Information generating means), 400... Internet, 500A, 500B... IP server (computer, information providing server), 51 0A, 510B ... Regional information database.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention provides a position-related data storage step in which each of a plurality of information providing nodes stores position-related data in association with each of a plurality of position data indicating a plurality of positions, A relay node that relays data communication between each of a plurality of terminal nodes and each of the plurality of information providing nodes, with respect to each of a plurality of positions, input position data indicating the position, and the position as the input position A position data storage step for storing and storing a plurality of output position data respectively shown in a plurality of formats different from the data, and the relay node, for each of the plurality of information providing nodes, A format data storage step for storing the format data indicating one format of the plurality of formats in association with one another of the plurality of terminal nodes; An input position at which a terminal node or a base station node that relays data communication between the one terminal node and the relay node transmits position data indicating a current position of the one terminal node to the relay node as input position data A data transmission step, wherein one of the plurality of terminal nodes and the plurality of information providing nodes is transferred to one information providing node of the plurality of information providing nodes, and the current position of the one terminal node Request data transmission step for transmitting to the relay node request data requesting to transmit the position data indicating the input position received by the relay node in the input position data transmission step according to the request data Among the plurality of output position data stored in association with the data, it corresponds to the identifier of the one information providing node. An output position data selection step for selecting output position data in a format indicated by the format data stored in addition to the output position data selected by the relay node in the output position data selection step; An output position data transmission step to be transmitted to the providing node, and a position relation stored by the one information providing node in association with position data indicating the position indicated by the output position data received in the output position data transmitting step. A position-related data selection step of selecting data; and the one information providing node is selected by the terminal node of the plurality of terminal nodes via the relay node in the position-related data selection step. A position-related data transmission step for transmitting the position-related data. A continuous data transmission method is provided (first aspect).

In the position data storing step according to the first aspect, the relay node relates to each of a plurality of positions, a plurality of input position data indicating the positions in a plurality of formats, and the positions of the plurality of input position data. A plurality of output position data respectively shown in a plurality of different formats are stored in association with each other, and in the input position data transmission step, the one terminal node or the base station node is configured to store the current position of the one terminal node. May be transmitted as input position data to the relay node as a second position in the form of a plurality of formats related to the input position data (second mode).

In the position data storing step of the second aspect, the relay node relates to each of a plurality of positions, input position data indicating the position in a plurality of formats corresponding to each of a plurality of networks, and the position A plurality of output position data respectively shown in a plurality of formats different from any of the plurality of input position data are stored in association with each other, and in the input position data transmission step, the one terminal node or the base station node Position data indicating the current position of the terminal node in a format corresponding to the network to which the one terminal node belongs may be transmitted to the relay node as input position data (third mode).

In the location-related data transmission step according to the first to third aspects, the one information providing node sends the relay node to a terminal node different from the one terminal node in the location-related data selection step. The selected position-related data may be transmitted (fourth mode).

Further, the present invention relates to each of a plurality of positions and stores input position data indicating the position and a plurality of output position data indicating the position in a plurality of formats different from the input position data in association with each other. For each of the plurality of information providing nodes, a position data storage unit, a format data storage unit that stores an identifier of the information providing node and format data indicating one format among the plurality of formats, and a plurality of format data storage units Position data indicating the current position of the one terminal node as input position data from one terminal node of the terminal nodes or a base station node that relays data communication between the one terminal node and the relay node Position data indicating the current position of the one terminal node in one information providing node of the input information receiving node and the information providing node among the plurality of information providing nodes Request data receiving means for receiving request data requesting transmission from any one of the plurality of terminal nodes and the plurality of information providing nodes, and receiving the input position data according to the request data Among the plurality of output position data stored in the position data storage means in association with the input position data received by the means, the format data storage means stores in association with the identifier of the one information providing node. Output position data selection means for selecting output position data in the format indicated by the format data, and output position data transmission for transmitting the output position data selected by the output position data selection means to the one information providing node And an output position transmitted by the output position data transmitting means from the one information providing node. Position-related data receiving means for receiving position-related data transmitted as a response to the data, and position-related data received by the position-related data receiving means to any one of the plurality of terminal nodes. Provided is a data relay device comprising a position-related data transmitting means for transmitting (fifth aspect).

In the fifth aspect, the position data storage means includes a plurality of input position data indicating each of the plurality of positions in a plurality of formats and a plurality of the position data different from any of the plurality of input position data. A plurality of pieces of output position data each shown in the form of: and the input position data receiving means receives the current position of the one terminal node from the one terminal node or the base station node as the input position. A configuration may be adopted in which position data indicated in one of a plurality of formats related to data is received as input position data (sixth aspect).

In the sixth aspect, the position data storage means relates to each of a plurality of positions, input position data indicating the position in a plurality of formats corresponding to each of a plurality of networks, and the position to the plurality of input positions. A plurality of output position data respectively shown in a plurality of formats different from any of the data are stored in association with each other, and the input position data receiving means receives the one terminal node from the one terminal node or the base station node. A configuration may be adopted in which location data indicating the current location in a format corresponding to the network to which the one terminal node belongs is received as input location data (seventh aspect).

In the fifth to seventh aspects, the location-related data transmission unit may transmit the location-related data received by the location-related data reception unit to a terminal node different from the one terminal node ( Eighth aspect).

Further, the present invention relates to a computer functioning as a relay node that relays data communication between each of a plurality of terminal nodes and each of a plurality of information providing nodes, and an input position indicating the position with respect to each of the plurality of positions. A position data storing process for storing data and a plurality of output position data each indicating the position in a plurality of formats different from the input position data, and providing each of the plurality of information providing nodes A format data storage process for associating and storing a node identifier and format data indicating one format of the plurality of formats, and one terminal node of the plurality of terminal nodes, or the one terminal node Position data indicating the current position of the one terminal node is received as input position data from a base station node that relays data communication with the relay node. Input position data receiving processing, and request data requesting that one of the plurality of information providing nodes transmit position data indicating a current position of the one terminal node to the information providing node, the plurality of terminals A request data receiving process received from a node and any one of the plurality of information providing nodes, and stored in association with the input position data received in the input position data receiving process according to the request data Output position data selection processing for selecting output position data in the format indicated by the format data stored in association with the identifier of the one information providing node, and the output position data selection Output position data transmission processing for transmitting the output position data selected in the processing to the one information providing node; Position related data reception processing for receiving position related data transmitted as a response to the output position data transmitted in the output position data transmission processing from the information providing node; and position related data received in the position related data reception processing. A program for executing position-related data transmission processing to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of terminal nodes is provided (ninth aspect).

In a ninth aspect, in the position data storage process, the computer stores a plurality of input position data indicating the positions in a plurality of formats, and the positions of the plurality of input position data. A plurality of output position data respectively shown in a plurality of different formats are stored in association with each other, and in the input position data reception process, from the one terminal node or the base station node, the current position of the one terminal node is stored. It is good also as a structure which receives the position data which shows in one format among several formats regarding the said input position data as input position data (10th aspect).

In a tenth aspect, in the position data storage process, the computer stores input position data indicating the position in a plurality of formats corresponding to each of a plurality of networks, and the position A plurality of output position data respectively shown in a plurality of formats different from any of the plurality of input position data are stored in association with each other, and in the input position data reception process, the one terminal node or the base station node The position data indicating the current position of the terminal node in a format corresponding to the network to which the one terminal node belongs may be received as input position data (an eleventh aspect).

In the ninth to eleventh aspects, the computer causes the terminal-related node that is different from the one terminal node to transmit the position-related data received in the position-related data reception process in the position-related data transmission process. (Twelfth aspect).

Claims (48)

  A location information notification method for notifying a predetermined computer of location information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating a mobile communication terminal capable of wireless communication, wherein the computer to be notified of the location information is: A plurality of computers including a first computer capable of handling the location information in a first representation format and a second computer capable of handling the location information in a second representation format; the location of the mobile communication terminal Detecting the position information and generating the position information, and when notifying the position information to the first computer, the position information is converted from the generated representation format to the first representation format, On the other hand, when the positional information is notified to the second computer, the positional information is converted from the generated representation format to the second representation format. Location information notification method characterized by comprising the information converting step, and a location information notification step of notifying the location information converting the representation format to the computer.   The position information notification method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communication network includes a plurality of mobile communication networks including a first mobile communication network and a second mobile communication network in which expression formats of position information to be generated are different. The location information generation step generates location information of mobile communication terminals belonging to the first mobile communication network in a third expression format, while location information of mobile communication terminals belonging to the second mobile communication network is obtained. When the position information conversion step is to notify the computer of the position information of the mobile communication terminal belonging to the first mobile communication network, the position information conversion step generates the position information from the third expression format. When the computer converts to a representation format that can be handled by the computer, and notifies the computer of location information of a mobile communication terminal belonging to the second mobile communication network, the location information is converted to the fourth representation format. Positional information notification method et the computer and converting the expression format which can be handled.   The position information notification method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first or second expression format is either a format expressed by latitude and longitude information or a format expressed by administrative division. Feature location information notification method.   3. The position information notification method according to claim 2, wherein the third or fourth expression format includes a format expressed by identification information given to a base station of the mobile communication network, and a predetermined number of the base stations. Any of a format expressed by identification information given to the radio communication zone, a format expressed by identification information given to a partial area of the radio zone of the base station, and a format expressed by latitude and longitude information A position information notification method characterized by the above.   A position information notification method for notifying a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating a mobile communication terminal capable of wireless communication, wherein the position of the mobile communication terminal is detected, and A position information notifying method comprising: a position information generating step for generating position information with a precision required by a computer; and a position information notifying step for notifying the generated position information to the computer.   6. The position information notification method according to claim 5, wherein the position information with the accuracy required by the computer includes one of position information expressed by latitude and longitude information and position information expressed by an administrative division. Feature location information notification method.   A position information notification method for notifying a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating mobile communication terminals capable of wireless communication, wherein the position of the mobile communication terminal is detected and detected A location information generation step for generating information, and a location information notification for notifying the computer of the generated location information by adding the generated location information to data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer A position information notification method comprising: a step.   8. The location information notification method according to claim 7, wherein the location information notification step includes a step of notifying the mobile communication terminal of the location information addition method from the computer, and is generated according to the notified addition method. A location information notification method characterized by notifying location information.   9. The position information notification method according to claim 8, wherein the position information notification step includes a step of detecting a predetermined data string in data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer; and And replacing the position information with the information and transmitting the position information to the computer.   10. The location information notification method according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined data string is included in data transmitted from the computer to the mobile communication terminal, and the location information notification step includes the mobile communication terminal. Detecting the data string in the process of returning the data transmitted from the computer and replacing it with the position information.   A position information notification method for notifying a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating a mobile communication terminal capable of wireless communication, wherein the position information of the mobile communication terminal is acquired from the computer Receiving a request signal for requesting, detecting a position of the mobile communication terminal according to the request signal, generating position information, and notifying the computer of the generated position information A location information notification method comprising: a location information notification step.   The position information notification method according to claim 11, further comprising an identification information adding step of adding identification information of the mobile communication terminal to data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer and transmitting the data to the computer. The position information generating step specifies the mobile communication terminal that is to generate the position information based on the identification information included in the request signal by the computer, and generates the position information. Information notification method.   13. The position information notification method according to claim 12, wherein the identification information adding step includes a step of detecting a predetermined data string in data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer, and the predetermined data string. A position information notification method comprising: replacing the identification information.   14. The position information notification method according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined data string is included in data transmitted from the computer to the mobile communication terminal, and the identification information adding step includes the mobile communication terminal. Detecting the data string in the process of returning the data transmitted from the computer and replacing it with the identification information.   The position information notification method according to claim 7, further comprising a notification availability determination step of determining whether or not to notify the computer of the position information, wherein the position information notification step includes: The position information notification method, wherein the position information is notified based on a determination result in the notification availability determination step.   16. The location information notification method according to claim 15, wherein public information regarding whether or not the computer is a disclosure target of the location information is stored in advance by a predetermined storage unit, and the notification availability determination step includes the location information notification step. A position information notification method, wherein the determination is made with reference to the public information stored in the storage means for the computer to be notified.   The position information notification method according to claim 16, wherein the public information is stored in advance by the predetermined storage unit for each mobile communication terminal, and the notification availability determination step is the notification target of the position information. A position information notification method for a computer, wherein the determination is performed with reference to the public information stored in the storage means.   16. The location information notification method according to claim 15, wherein the notification availability determination step inquires the mobile communication terminal whether or not the location information may be notified to the computer, and the mobile communication in response to the inquiry. And a step of performing the determination based on response information from the terminal.   The position information notification method according to claim 15, wherein terminal information related to whether or not the position information is a mobile communication terminal that may be disclosed outside the mobile communication network is stored in advance by a predetermined storage unit, The notification availability determination step performs the determination with reference to the terminal information stored in the storage unit for the mobile communication terminal related to the position information to be notified. .   16. The location information notification method according to claim 15, wherein when it is determined that transmission is not possible in the notification availability determination step, an error signal indicating that the location information cannot be notified is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal or the computer. A position information notification method comprising an error signal transmission step.   15. The position information notification method according to claim 7, wherein an input screen transmission step of transmitting input screen data for inputting designated position information that can be specified by a user of the mobile communication terminal to the mobile communication terminal. And a designated position information receiving step for receiving the designated position information input by the user from the mobile communication terminal, wherein the position information notifying step is combined with the position information generated by the position information generating step. A position information notification method for notifying the computer of the specified position information received in the specified position information receiving step.   15. The position information notification method according to claim 7, wherein the mobile communication terminal includes a position measurement unit that measures its own position, and relates to the position of the mobile communication terminal measured by the position measurement unit. A measurement position information receiving step for receiving measurement position information from the mobile communication terminal, wherein the position information notification step is generated by the position information generation step and received by the measurement position information reception step together with the position information; A position information notification method comprising notifying the computer of the measurement position information.   The position information notification method according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the computer is an information providing server that provides the mobile communication terminal with position related information related to the position of the mobile communication terminal. Location information notification method.   The position information notification method according to any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the mobile communication terminal is a mobile phone that performs wireless telephone communication.   A position information notification device that notifies a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network that accommodates a mobile communication terminal capable of wireless communication, and the computer to be notified of the position information includes: A plurality of computers including a first computer capable of handling the location information in a first representation format and a second computer capable of handling the location information in a second representation format; the location of the mobile communication terminal When the position information is generated and the position information is notified to the first computer, the position information is converted from the generated representation format to the first representation format. On the other hand, when the positional information is notified to the second computer, the positional information that converts the positional information from the generated representation format to the second representation format. Conversion means and the location information notifying apparatus, characterized in that it comprises a location information notification means for notifying the location information converting the representation format to the computer.   The position information notification device according to claim 25, wherein the mobile communication network is composed of a plurality of mobile communication networks including a first mobile communication network and a second mobile communication network in which expression formats of position information to be generated are different. The location information generating means generates location information of mobile communication terminals belonging to the first mobile communication network in a third representation format, while obtaining location information of mobile communication terminals belonging to the second mobile communication network. When the position information converting means notifies the computer of the position information of the mobile communication terminal belonging to the first mobile communication network, the position information conversion means generates the position information from the third expression format. When the computer converts to a representation format that can be handled by the computer, and notifies the computer of the location information of the mobile communication terminal belonging to the second mobile communication network, the location information is changed from the fourth representation format to the previous format. Location information notifying apparatus for computer and converting into manageable representation.   27. The position information notification device according to claim 25, wherein the first or second expression format is one of a format expressed by latitude and longitude information and a format expressed by administrative division. A feature location information notification device.   27. The positional information notification device according to claim 26, wherein the third or fourth expression format includes a format represented by identification information given to a base station of the mobile communication network, and a predetermined number of the base stations. Any of a format expressed by identification information given to the radio communication zone, a format expressed by identification information given to a partial area of the radio zone of the base station, and a format expressed by latitude and longitude information A position information notifying device characterized by that.   A position information notification device for notifying a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating a mobile communication terminal capable of wireless communication, wherein the position of the mobile communication terminal is detected, and A position information notifying apparatus comprising: position information generating means for generating position information with accuracy required by a computer; and position information notifying means for notifying the generated position information to the computer.   30. The positional information notification device according to claim 29, wherein the positional information with the accuracy required by the computer includes any one of positional information expressed by latitude and longitude information and positional information expressed by administrative divisions. Feature location information notification method.   A position information notification device for notifying a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating a mobile communication terminal capable of wireless communication, wherein the position of the mobile communication terminal is detected and detected Location information generating means for generating information, and location information notification for notifying the computer of the generated location information by adding the generated location information to data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer And a position information notification device.   32. The position information notifying device according to claim 31, wherein the position information notifying unit receives a notification indicating a method for adding the generated position information to the data from the computer, and And a transmission means for adding the position information generated by the method and transmitting the position information.   32. The position information notification device according to claim 31, wherein the position information notification means includes a detection means for detecting a predetermined data string in data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer, and the predetermined data string. A position information notification device comprising replacement means for replacing the position information and transmitting the position information to the computer.   34. The position information notification device according to claim 33, wherein the predetermined data string is included in data transmitted from the computer to the mobile communication terminal, and the position information notification means includes the mobile communication terminal. Detecting a data string in the process of returning data transmitted from the computer and replacing it with the position information.   A position information notification device for notifying a predetermined computer of position information of a mobile communication terminal acquired in a mobile communication network accommodating a mobile communication terminal capable of wireless communication, and acquiring the position information of the mobile communication terminal from the computer Receiving means for receiving the request signal, position information generating means for detecting the position of the mobile communication terminal according to the request signal and generating position information, and notifying the computer of the generated position information A position information notification device comprising: position information notification means.   36. The positional information notification device according to claim 35, further comprising identification information adding means for adding identification information of the mobile communication terminal to data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer and transmitting the data to the computer. The position information generating means specifies the mobile communication terminal that should generate the position information based on the identification information included in the request signal by the computer, and generates the position information. Notification device.   37. The positional information notification device according to claim 36, wherein the identification information adding means includes a detecting means for detecting a predetermined data string in data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal to the computer, and the predetermined data string. A position information notification device comprising: replacement means for replacing the identification information with the identification information.   38. The positional information notification device according to claim 37, wherein the predetermined data string is included in data transmitted from the computer to the mobile communication terminal, and the identification information adding means is the mobile communication terminal. Detecting a data string in the process of returning data transmitted from the computer and replacing it with the identification information.   The positional information notification device according to any one of claims 31 to 38, further comprising a notification availability determination unit that determines whether or not the positional information may be notified to the computer, wherein the positional information notification unit includes: A position information notification device that notifies the position information based on a determination result by the notification availability determination unit.   40. The positional information notification device according to claim 39, further comprising public information storage means for storing public information regarding whether or not the computer is a target of disclosure of the positional information, wherein the notification availability determination means comprises: A position information notifying apparatus, wherein the determination is made with reference to the public information stored in the public information storage means for the computer to be notified.   41. The position information notification device according to claim 40, wherein the public information storage means stores the public information for each mobile communication terminal, and the notification availability determination means is the computer to be notified of the position information. The position information notification device is characterized in that the determination is made with reference to the public information stored by the public information storage means.   40. The position information notification device according to claim 39, wherein the notification availability determination means inquires to the mobile communication terminal whether or not the position information may be notified to the computer, and the mobile communication in response to the inquiry. A position information notification device comprising: means for performing the determination based on response information from a terminal.   40. The position information notification device according to claim 39, further comprising terminal information storage means for storing terminal information regarding whether or not the position information is a mobile communication terminal that may be disclosed outside the mobile communication network. A position information notifying device, wherein the availability determining means makes the determination with reference to the terminal information stored in the terminal information storage means for the mobile communication terminal related to the position information to be notified. .   40. The positional information notification device according to claim 39, wherein an error signal indicating that the notification of the positional information is not possible is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal or the computer when the notification possibility determination means determines that transmission is not possible. A position information notification device comprising an error signal transmission means.   The position information notification device according to any one of claims 31 to 38, wherein input screen transmission means for transmitting input screen data for inputting designated position information that can be specified by a user of the mobile communication terminal to the mobile communication terminal. And specified position information receiving means for receiving the specified position information input by the user from the mobile communication terminal, the position information notifying means together with the position information generated by the position information generating means The position information notifying apparatus that notifies the computer of the specified position information received by the specified position information receiving means.   The position information notification device according to any one of claims 31 to 38, wherein the mobile communication terminal includes position measurement means for measuring its own position, and the position of the mobile communication terminal measured by the position measurement means. Measuring position information receiving means for receiving the measured position information from the mobile communication terminal, the position information notifying means being received by the measured position information receiving means together with the position information generated by the position information generating means. A position information notification device that notifies the computer of the measured position information.   47. The position information notification device according to claim 25, wherein the computer is an information providing server that provides the mobile communication terminal with position related information related to the position of the mobile communication terminal. Position information notification device.   48. The positional information notification device according to claim 25, wherein the mobile communication terminal is a mobile phone that performs wireless telephone communication.

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