JP2008225892A - Message communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify an operation by a user terminal, and to present a picture following the intention of a user from the user terminal from the beginning by discriminating the writing and reading functions of information through media distributed in a space so as to be taken in the hand and used by a user. <P>SOLUTION: When a user prepares a message by reading the code of a tag 11 for writing on a physical object 1 by using user terminal equipment 2, the message is transmitted. When receiving the message from the user terminal equipment 2, a data management server 3 registers this in a message database. Also, when the user of the other party reads the code of a tag 12 for reading on the physical object 1 by using the user terminal equipment 2, a reading request signal is transmitted. When receiving the request signal from the user terminal equipment 2, the data management server 3 reads the managed message from the database, and transmits it to the user terminal equipment 2 of the other party. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a message communication system that transmits and receives messages such as characters, images, and voices.

  Conventionally, even non-professional people can easily create various kinds of digital contents such as text, images, games, music, and videos and distribute them over the Internet.

  Recently, efforts have been started to handle such content not in online but in real space such as public places. In such an approach, attention is paid to how the physical situation in which the content is used affects the content utilization means and its function.

  For example, in “place blogging” as disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1, a user registers content in a physical place. These contents can be searched and read using a virtual key indicating that a user exists at the place, and can be viewed.

  For example, in a museum, a message left by someone about an exhibit can be viewed by another person who visited later before the same exhibit.

Churchill, E. F., Nelson, L. and HSieh, G. Cafe life in the digital age: augmenting information flow in a cafe-work-entertainment space, In Extended Abstract of CHI 2006, ACM Press (2006), 123-128

  However, the place blogging described above does not use a medium that can be distributed in public spaces and is tangible by the user, that is, a medium that can be picked up by hand, for registration and browsing of information. Since the place where it can be done is fixed, it cannot be used for communication when the other party cannot move to the place where the message is registered. In order to establish communication, it is necessary to write information by one user and read it by other users. However, in the place blogging described above, the functions are the writing and reading of information. Not distinguished.

  Conventionally, there is a method of printing and using a two-dimensional code such as a QR code (registered trademark) on a magazine or an advertising medium. Similar to Place blogging described above, the function is distinguished between writing and reading of digital information. Absent. When the functions are not distinguished in this way, an operation for selecting writing and reading is required for the user, and the configuration of the device becomes complicated. In addition, it becomes necessary to implement new software for selecting functions. In addition, when the two-dimensional code is used as described above, the information to be registered needs to be converted into a barcode and printed, which limits the type and capacity of information that can be handled.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to distinguish between the function of writing and reading information through a medium that is distributed in space and can be used by the user, thereby simplifying the operation on the user terminal and An object of the present invention is to provide a message communication system capable of presenting a screen according to the intention on the user terminal from the beginning.

  That is, the message communication system according to the present invention is a message communication system having a tagged physical medium that can be picked up and used by a user, a user terminal device, and a server device. Each attached physical medium has its own message writing tag and message reading tag, and the tag is visually distinguishable whether the tag is a writing tag or a reading tag, The user terminal device includes a reading unit that reads the code of each tag of the tagged physical medium, a decoding unit that decodes the read code, and reads the code of the message writing tag by the reading unit, and the decoding unit reads the code That accepts the input of the message when decrypting the message and the message entered by the input means A first transmitting means for transmitting to the server apparatus; and a second means for transmitting a message read request signal to the server apparatus when the code of the message reading tag is read by the reading means and the code is decoded by the decoding means. A transmission unit; and an output unit configured to output a message transmitted from the server device. The server device includes a management unit that manages the message transmitted by the user terminal device, and a second transmission unit of the user terminal device. And a transmission means for transmitting the message to the user terminal device when receiving the read request signal transmitted by.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to distinguish between the function of writing and reading information through a medium distributed in space and usable by a user, thereby simplifying the operation on the user terminal and making the user's intention The screen along the screen can be presented to the user terminal from the beginning.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a physical object and a user terminal device of a message communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the data management server of the message communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of a physical object of the message communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The message communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention is a message communication system using a tangible method, that is, a physical medium that can be actually touched, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 1. A user terminal device 2 and a data management server 3 are provided.

  The physical object 1 is a physical medium that can be distributedly used in a public space and can be picked up and carried by a user, and includes a message writing tag 11 and a message reading tag 12. That is, the physical object 1 is a tagged physical medium.

  As shown in FIG. 3, on the physical object 1, the characters “write” are printed at the position of the message writing tag 11, and the characters “read” are printed at the position of the message reading tag 12. . That is, the user can visually distinguish the message writing tag 11 and the message reading tag 12.

  The message writing tag 11 is a tag that represents a message writing code including a physical object ID that is identification information unique to each physical object. The message reading tag 12 is a seal-like tag representing a message reading code including a physical object ID. These tag codes are represented by two-dimensional codes such as QR codes.

  The physical object ID is composed of a number followed by one alphabetic character. The numerical part of the physical object ID indicated by the message writing tag 11 and the physical object ID indicated by the message reading tag 12 in the same physical object 1 are the same. Further, one alphabetic character of the physical object ID indicated by the message writing tag 11 is “W”, and one alphabetic character of the physical object ID indicated by the message reading tag 12 is “R”.

  In this embodiment, the physical object 1 is a card-type physical medium having a leaf shape as shown in FIG. 3, and has a message writing tag 11 and a message reading tag 12 on its surface.

  In this system, the user terminal device 2 transmits a message input after reading the code of the message writing tag 11 of the physical object 1 to the data management server 3, and the data management server 3 manages this message. .

  When the user terminal device 2 reads the code of the message read tag 12 of the physical object 1, the user terminal device 2 transmits a message read request signal to the data management server 3. When receiving the request signal, the data management server 3 transmits a managed message to the requesting user terminal device 2.

  The code of the message writing tag 11 is embedded with the mail address of the data management server 3 that is the management destination of the message to be registered by the user, and the code of the message reading tag 12 is the access destination of the message to be read. The URL of the data management server 3 is embedded.

  The size, shape, and material of the physical object 1 are not particularly limited. The code attached to the message writing tag 11 or the message reading tag 12 may be a visual code other than a two-dimensional code or a wireless tag.

Further, the physical object 1 has a message writing tag 11 and a message reading tag 12 on the same plane of the physical object 1, and the user can visually recognize the difference between the message writing tag 11 and the message reading tag 12 at the same time. It is like that.
This eliminates the need for the user to turn the physical object 1 over so that the type of code to be read changes every time the code is on the surface.

As shown in FIG. 1, the user terminal device 2 includes a physical object interface unit 21, a message creation unit 22, a message presentation unit 23, and a communication unit 24. The message creation unit 22 is a message input unit, and the communication unit 24 includes a first transmission unit 27 and a second transmission unit 28.
Here, the user terminal device 2 is a mobile phone. The physical object interface unit 21 reads and decodes the code of each tag of the physical object 1. Specifically, the physical object interface unit 21 includes a reading unit 25 and a decoding unit 26. The reading unit 25 has a camera, and photographs the code of each tag of the physical object 1 with this camera. The decoding unit 26 decodes the photographed code. That is, the physical object interface unit 21 is a code reading unit and a decoding unit.

  The message creation unit 22 is an input unit having a keyboard and a microphone. The message creation unit 22 stores image information stored in a storage device (not shown) of the user terminal device 2 according to the character input operation on the keyboard and the input operation on the keyboard. A message is generated according to designation or voice input to a microphone.

  The message presenting unit 23 is an output unit having a display device and a speaker device, and presents messages such as characters, images, and sounds from the data management server 3 to the user.

As shown in FIG. 2, the data management server 3 includes a communication unit 31 and a message management unit 32 that communicate with the user terminal device 2. The communication unit 31 includes a reception unit 38 and a transmission unit 39. The message management unit 32 is a message management unit.
The message management unit 32 includes a message writing unit 33, a message reading unit 34, a message erasing unit 35, a message registration time management unit 36, and a storage device 37.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the message database stored in the storage device of the data management server of the message communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention in the form of a table.
The storage device 37 is a storage medium such as a nonvolatile memory, and stores a message database having the configuration shown in FIG.
The message database is a database for managing read codes, write codes, message registration times, and message contents.

This read code is a physical object ID obtained by the user terminal device 2 decoding the code of the message read tag 12 of the physical object 1.
The write code is a physical object ID obtained by the user terminal device 2 decoding the code of the message write tag 11 of the physical object 1.
In this database, message registration times and message contents are managed in association with various codes having the same numeric part.

  The content of the message is a message transmitted from the user terminal device 2 and is a message to be transmitted to the user terminal device 2 in accordance with a read request signal from the user terminal device 2. The message content managed in this database is the full text if the message is text, and the file name of the data file if the message is image or audio data. If the message is image or audio data, this data file is stored in the storage device 37 of the data management server. That is, when the data to be read is a message or image data, the data file is read from the storage device 37 using the file name on the database as a key.

The message registration time is the management start time of the message transmitted from the user terminal device 2 in the message database.
The message writing unit 33 writes the content of the message from the user terminal device 2 in the message database of the storage device 37.
The message reading unit 34 reads a message from the message database in the storage device 37 in accordance with a read request signal from the user terminal device 2.
In this database, the number of message contents that can be registered for one physical object 1 is one.

  The message erasure unit 35 erases messages managed in the message database of the storage device 37 that have passed a predetermined time from the registration time associated with the message database.

In this case, the message writing unit 33 and the message reading unit 34 refer to the message database in the storage device 37 to determine whether or not there is an expired message. Delete the message registration from the database.
The message registration time management unit 36 measures the current time, and the current time when the message is registered in the message database becomes the message registration time.

  Next, the operation of the message communication system configured as described above will be described. First, processing at the time of writing a message will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of message writing processing by the message communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, the user picks up the physical object 1 and the user terminal device 2 and brings the camera which is a part of the physical object interface unit 21 close to the message writing tag 11, and then the message of the user terminal device 2. When a predetermined input operation to the keyboard of the input unit 22 is performed, the reading unit 25 of the physical object interface unit 21 reads the code of the message writing tag 11 on the physical object 1, and the decoding unit 26 reads this code. The code is decoded and the alphabet part of the physical object ID obtained by the decoding is referred to, thereby determining whether the decoded code is a read code or a write code. When the alphabet part of the physical object ID is “W”, the decryption unit 26 determines that the decrypted code is a write code, and the mail address and the write code of the data management server 3 included in the code Is acquired (step S1).

  When the user creates or designates a message for writing by operating the message creating unit 22, the first sending unit 27 of the communication unit 24 sends this message and the acquired write code described above to the data management server 3. It transmits to a mail address (step S2).

  When the receiving unit 38 of the communication unit 31 of the data management server 3 receives the message and the write code from the user terminal device 2, that is, the physical object ID (step S3), the message writing unit 33 of the message management unit 32 stores the message. The message database stored in the device 37 is read out, and it is determined whether or not data within a predetermined expiration date is registered in the database with respect to the write code (step S4).

  When a message satisfying the above-described condition is registered in the message database (YES in step S5), the message writing unit 33 sends a message such as a character indicating that the message cannot be registered to the communication unit 31. It transmits to the user terminal device 2 via the transmission part 39 (step S6).

  When the communication unit 24 of the user terminal device 2 receives a message that cannot be registered from the data management server 3, the message presentation unit 23 displays the received message on the screen of the display device.

On the other hand, when a message satisfying the above-described condition is not registered in the message database (NO in step S5), the message writing unit 33 counts the current time counted by the message registration time management unit 36, and the user terminal The message received from the device 2 and the corresponding physical object ID are registered in the message database of the storage device 37 with the current time described above as the registration time and associated with the information on the registration time (step S7).
Then, the message writing unit 33 transmits a message such as a character indicating completion of message registration to the user terminal device 2 via the transmission unit 39 of the communication unit 31 (step S8).

  When the communication unit 24 of the user terminal device 2 receives the registration completion message from the data management server 3, the message presentation unit 23 displays the received message on the screen of the display device. Thereby, the user can confirm that the message input by the user terminal device 2 has been written on the data management server 3 side.

  Next, processing at the time of reading a message will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a message read process by the message communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, another user picks up the physical object 1 and the user terminal device 2 possessed by the user, brings the camera of the physical object interface unit 21 close to the message reading tag 12, and then inputs a message. When a predetermined input operation is performed on the keyboard of the unit 22, the reading unit 25 of the physical object interface unit 21 reads the code of the message reading tag 12 on the physical object 1, and the decoding unit 26 reads the code. By decoding the code and referring to the alphabet part of the physical object ID obtained by the decoding, it is determined whether the decoded code is a read code or a write code. When the alphabet part of the physical object ID is “R”, the decryption unit 26 determines that the decrypted code is a read code, and determines the URL and read code of the data management server 3 included in the code. Obtain (step S11).

Then, the second transmission unit 28 of the communication unit 24 transmits a message read request signal related to the acquired read code to the data management server 3 corresponding to the acquired URL.
When the reception unit 38 of the communication unit 31 of the data management server 3 receives the message read request signal from the user terminal device 2 (step S12), the message read unit 34 of the message management unit 32 is stored in the storage device 37. The message database is read out, and it is determined whether or not the message data associated with the read code indicated by the message read request signal on the database and within the predetermined expiration date is registered in the database. (Step S13).

  When the message data satisfying the above-described condition is not registered in the message database (NO in step S14), the message reading unit 34 sends a message such as a character indicating that no registered message data exists to the communication unit 31. Is transmitted to the user terminal device 2 via the transmitter 39 (step S15).

  When the communication unit 24 of the user terminal device 2 receives a message from the data management server 3 indicating that registered message data does not exist, the message presentation unit 23 displays the received message on the screen of the display device.

  On the other hand, when a message satisfying the above-described condition is registered in the message database (YES in step S14), the message reading unit 34 reads the message from the message database. Then, the transmission part 39 of the communication part 31 transmits this message to the user terminal device 2 (step S16).

When the communication unit 24 of the user terminal device 2 receives a message from the data management server 3, the message presentation unit 23 displays the received message on the screen of the display device.
As a result, the message managed on the data management server 3 side is read to the user terminal device 2 on the other side.
In addition, the message deletion unit 35 of the message management unit 32 deletes the expired message in the message database at a predetermined time interval set in advance.

  As described above, in the message communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to write a message in such a manner that the distinction between functions such as writing and reading can be visually recognized using the physical object 1 that can be picked up and carried. By performing reading, communication by digital information can be realized by distinguishing the functions of writing and reading information through a medium distributed in space and usable by a user.

  In such a system, if the user who wrote the message passes the physical object 1 to the other party who wants to provide the message, the physical object 1 can be handled as if it were a virtual container carrying the message. Become.

  In addition, by providing each physical object 1 with a tag that distinguishes the function of writing and reading, the selection operation of writing and reading by the user terminal device 2 can be made unnecessary. The user terminal device 2 can be operated easily, and a screen in accordance with the user's intention can be presented to the user terminal device 2 from the beginning after reading the tag. Therefore, even so-called IT weak people can easily transmit messages.

  In addition, since the message itself that is to be presented from one user to another user is managed by the data management server 3, the message type is not limited to text and images, and voice can also be targeted. As described above, there are various types of messages that can be transmitted compared to the case where the message itself is converted into a two-dimensional code or the like. Further, the capacity of messages that can be transmitted and received depends on the capacity of the storage device 37 of the data management server 3 and does not depend on the type or size of the physical object 1.

  For example, as described above, when a two-dimensional code is used as a tag code, if the physical object 1 is provided with a tag for writing and a tag for reading separately, a camera, a barcode reading function, an e-mail function are provided. By using a mobile phone equipped with a web page browsing function, it is possible to write and read messages without the need to prepare a dedicated device or software.

  Further, the data management server 3 performs message management that deletes the message according to the elapsed time of the written message, thereby calculating the activity of message exchange at the location where the physical object 1 is used according to the time. be able to.

  In the embodiment described above, a tag with a two-dimensional code attached is used as a tag of the physical object 1, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a non-contact tag or the like may be used. In this assembly, the physical object 1 has a writing tag and a reading tag at positions where radio waves do not interfere with each other, and a reader is brought close to each tag position on the physical object 1. What is necessary is just to specify the character which shows a function.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be omitted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, you may combine suitably the component covering different embodiment.

The block diagram which shows the structural example of the physical object of the tangible message communication system and user terminal device according to embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows the structural example of the data management server of the message communication system according to embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the external appearance of the physical object of the message communication system according to embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the structural example of the message database memorize | stored in the memory | storage device of the data management server of the message communication system according to embodiment of this invention in a table format. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of message writing processing by the message communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of message reading processing by the message communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Physical object, 2 ... User terminal device, 3 ... Data management server, 11 ... Message writing tag, 12 ... Message reading tag, 21 ... Physical object interface part, 22 ... Message preparation part, 23 ... Message presentation part 24, 31 ... communication unit, 25 ... reading unit, 26 ... decoding unit, 27 ... first transmission unit, 28 ... second transmission unit, 32 ... message management unit, 33 ... message writing unit, 34 ... message reading unit, 35 ... Message erasure unit, 36 ... Message registration time management unit, 37 ... Storage device, 38 ... Reception unit, 39 ... Transmission unit.

Claims (6)

A message communication system having a tagged physical medium that can be picked up and used by a user, a user terminal device, and a server device,
The tagged physical medium is:
Each tagged physical medium has its own message writing tag and message reading tag, and the tag can be visually distinguished whether the tag is a writing tag or a reading tag. Yes,
The user terminal device
Reading means for reading the code of each tag of the tagged physical medium;
Decoding means for decoding the code read by the reading means;
An input unit that reads the code of the message writing tag by the reading unit and receives an input of a message when the code is decoded by the decoding unit;
First transmission means for transmitting a message input by the input means to the server device;
A second transmission means for reading a message read request signal to the server device when the code of the message reading tag is read by the reading means and the code is decoded by the decoding means;
Output means for outputting a message transmitted from the server device,
The server device
Management means for managing messages transmitted by the first transmission means of the user terminal device;
Receiving means for receiving a read request signal transmitted by the second transmitting means of the user terminal device;
A message communication system comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit the message to the user terminal device when the read request signal is received by the reception unit. The message writing tag code of the tagged physical medium includes a communication destination address of the server device,
The first transmission means includes
The message communication system according to claim 1, wherein the message input by the input means is transmitted to the server device corresponding to the communication destination address. The code of the tag for reading messages of the tagged physical medium includes a communication destination address of the server device,
The second transmission means includes
The message communication system according to claim 1, wherein the read request signal is transmitted to the server device corresponding to the communication destination address. The management means of the server device manages the message transmitted by the user terminal device in association with the management start time of the message,
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: erasure means for erasing a message corresponding to the management start time when an elapsed time from the management start time managed by the management means reaches a predetermined time. Message communication system. The message writing tag and the message reading tag are provided at a position in the tagged physical medium that can visually distinguish simultaneously whether each tag is for writing or reading. The message communication system according to claim 1. The message communication system according to claim 1, wherein the message writing tag and the message reading tag of the tagged physical medium are on the same plane in the tagged physical medium.

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